The Indian Ocean island of Seychelles is facing a marine crisis. The fish the islanders rely on for their food are getting smaller. There are many factors contributing to this. Over-fishing close inshore, warming water, dying coral, extreme weather and land erosion all play their part. However, Seychelles and Nature Conservancy have agreed a plan to defend the archipelago’s greatest natural resource.
A Bold Plan from Seychelles and Nature Conservancy
Nature Conservancy is a U.S. Charity that wants to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. It has a vision of an end state where all life thrives together in harmony. A local fisherman on the island group saw the need to rest in-shore fish stocks. But how could he go about enforcing this?
The Government of the Seychelles and Nature Conservancy have struck a deal. Fishing boats will work further out on the ocean instead. Some anglers may even stop fishing completely and return to other artisanal skills for that time. In return, the U.S. charity took over 5% of Seychelles national debt from other countries. Seychelles will use the $8 million savings from lower interest rates to protect marine life and cope with climate change.
Protecting the Nation’s Greatest Resource Far Out to Sea
All human activity will cease for six months in the protected zone comprising 30% of Seychelles’ national waters. This is a must-do task. The local fisherman spearheading the project told the BBC “This is our office. You go to the office to work. We come here to work. This is where we earn our livelihood. So we’ve got to protect it.”
This will not be an easy task. The tiny nation’s coastguard must watch over a huge section of the Indian Ocean. “We don’t have a big coastguard,” Lt Col Connie Anthony says. “We have stationed soldiers on the outer islands. They have small craft for off-shore patrols. Meanwhile the nation’s air force will watch from the sky above.
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Preview Image: Victoria Capital City of the Seychelles
