"It's the first time that we have such a plan that we have done through a participatory approach rather than a top-down approach where we've discussed with stakeholders and identified the issues and made proposals and recommendations of how we're going to address issues with stakeholders," Vincent Lucas, Chief Fisheries Officer of the Seychelles Fishing Authority is quoted as saying.

The plan will address issues like overfishing on the Mahe plateau and overcapacity. "It might not have a direct impact on the stocks right away, but the idea was to get stakeholders used to these types of measures like minimum size and limit on number of traps." said Lucas.

"We definitely have overcapacity, we have too many boats. I wouldn't say it's a problem, but mostly in coastal areas it's localized. You have a localized depletion of the stock. But we need to do more research to look at the connectivity of different stocks and whether there are stocks out there that are replenishing in coastal zones," said. 

He clarified that SFA doesn't have enough information to know what extent the problem is for some high valued species like Bourzwa and some groupers, saying that the pressure of these species is market-driven. 

Chairman of the FBOA Keith Andre said they have been pushing for the plan to be implemented as it’s a step in the right direction and was long overdue, "especially now that we are seeing many incidents that could have been prevented had there been a management plan in place. In the context of Seychelles, finally, this open water policy will be coming to an end very soon. And all stakeholders would know their rights and how to appropriately make use of those rights.

Source: Today in Seychelles.  

The Mahe Plateau Trap and Fishery Co-Management Plan has been endorsed by the Minister of Fisheries and has been gazette. This is the first time the plan such a plan has been put in place, Today in Seychelles reports in article dated February 14th 2020. The article says that an implementation committee is to be set up.

"It's the first time that we have such a plan that we have done through a participatory approach rather than a top-down approach where we've discussed with stakeholders and identified the issues and made proposals and recommendations of how we're going to address issues with stakeholders," Vincent Lucas, Chief Fisheries Officer of the Seychelles Fishing Authority is quoted as saying.

The plan will address issues like overfishing on the Mahe plateau and overcapacity. "It might not have a direct impact on the stocks right away, but the idea was to get stakeholders used to these types of measures like minimum size and limit on number of traps." said Lucas.

"We definitely have overcapacity, we have too many boats. I wouldn't say it's a problem, but mostly in coastal arears it's localized. You have localized depletion of stock. But we need to do more research to look at connectivity of different stocks and whether there are stocks out there that are replenishing in coastal zones," said.

He clarified that SFA doesn't have enough information to know what extent the problem is for some high valued species like Bourzwa and some groupers, saying that the pressure of these species is market driven.

Chairman of the FBOA Keith Andre said they have been pushing for the plan to be implemented as it’s a step in the right direction and was long overdue, "especially now that we are seeing many incidents that could have been prevented had there been a management plan in place. In the context of Seychelles, finally this open water policy will be coming to an end very soon. And all stakeholders would know their rights and how to appropriately make use of those rights.

Source: Today in Seychelles.