ACTIVE INITIATIVES
Sea Turtles in Seychelles
Seychelles is home to five of the world’s sea turtle species, with two of them, the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), nesting on the nation’s beaches. MCSS has been at the forefront of sea turtle conservation for more than two decades, combining long‑term science, community engagement, and national advocacy to protect these endangered species.
Seasonal Protected Areas (SPA) Project
This project was originally a component of the large project funded by the Global Environment Facility ‘Strengthening Seychelles’ Protected Area System through NGO Management Modalities’. The component implemented by MCSS was to test an innovative approach to managing marine protected species in critical habitats which are outside the current management of the Protected Area system.
The project started in July 2011 and aimed to test the establishment of “seasonal protected areas (SPAs)” in critical habitats, to secure the ongoing protection of highly mobile marine vertebrates. The concept of SPAs is that they are transient conservation areas based on the critical habitats used by these marine vertebrates. These habitats are often affected by seasonal, environmental and physical cues and may be temporary in time, extent and geographic location.
The project has accessed the historical data collected by MCSS and analysed it with reference to seasonal cues that were likely to affect these species, as well as capturing current data and looking for any changing trends due to seasonal changes being experienced.
The project original project was successfully completed in June 2015; the data have been evaluated to establish the criteria to trigger the setting up of SPAs and their extent in both time and area. The formal implementation of SPAs was supported from 2016 under the GoS-GEF-UNDP ‘Protected Areas Sustainable Financing Project’. The new Protected Areas Legislation has been enacted and the SPA nominations were updated and implemented under the Ridge to Reef project. At the same time, through funding secured under the Oceans5 project, MCSS produced and tested a management plan.
The next phase, effective management of the SPAs, has been significantly strengthened thanks to the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, and through funding from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
For a closer look at this work, you can explore additional information and related materials in the Resources section.
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“Protecting sea turtles means understanding not only the species themselves, but also the habitats they rely on and the seasonal patterns that shape their movements.”
— Vanessa Didon
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