Seychelles has considerable opportunities to continue climbing the income ladder, especially given its natural capital, which is of global significance, says a recent World Bank report, the Seychelles Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD)“Seychelles has built a powerful brand name linked to the abundance and beauty of its natural environment and resources, including its tropical islands, beaches, and the ocean. The opportunity is for Seychelles to consolidate its regional, and even global, leadership status in the management and sustainable use of these resources”. A further source of opportunities for Seychelles arises from its strategic location in the western Indian Ocean. This is well-aligned with the emerging global focus on sustainable ocean resource use and management – the Blue Economy.

TODAY in Seychelles Newspaper; 30 May 2017 by S. Marivel: After months of debate and negotiation, Seychelles will now be able to use 2015 as the reference year for the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission’s (IOTC) mandatory 15% quota on yellowfin tuna. Local authorities have also succeeded in convincing European countries fishing in the Indian Ocean to reduce their use of Floating Aggregation Devices (FADs) and supply vessels.