Study to offer better understanding of Seychelles’ ocean space |19 December 2014

A study is being carried out to better understand the movements of the surface currents and sea temperature and their impact on the migration of fish.

Non-governmental organisation New Life Foundation (NLF) is carrying out the study which started recently when the Seychelles Coast Guard deployed four sensor equipped buoys on behalf of the NLF.

The deployment and the study form part of the provisions of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) NLF signed last year with the Scripps Institute in the University of California, USA. The institute is reputed as being among the best worldwide in oceanography.

For the purpose of this study, the Scripps Institute will use the data collected by the buoys to analyse the time and space vulnerability of complex surface currents and sea temperature, both of which are factors which affect fish migration in the oceans.

Scott Katz, a renowned authority in the field of oceanography, is leading the study which is to be phased over two years, with the deployment of more buoys in the different phases.

He signed the MoU for the institute last year along with Marco Francis, the chairman of NFL.

Once completed the study’s data will be analysed and the findings remitted to the NLF which will in turn hand it over to the Seychelles government.

“Such a partnership is very significant for our country and carrying out specialised studies is costly. As we don’t have neither the personnel nor the resources to do it alone, I am extremely grateful to the Scripps Institute for committing to this project which will help us in our efforts to attain sustainable development. We are equally grateful to the Seychelles Coast Guard for partnering with us on this project,” Mr Francis said.

This MoU also provides for one or two fully funded scholarships for Seychellois to study oceanography at the institute.

The NLF will manage the scholarship for the Seychelles side in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Agency for National Human Resource Development.

“However students can approach us directly,” Mr Francis said.

The NLF foundation is in its second year of existence and aims to help the country through projects which will assist in the realiasation of sustainable economic growth for the long term.