Protected areas classification system to be upgraded to international standard |08 January 2018

Additional areas of environment importance like Grand Police and the outer islands to be included as protected areas form part of a proposed amendment to the Nature Reserves and Conservancy Act.

Cabinet endorsed the change in its last meeting and a Bill to that effect will be presented to the National Assembly soon for approval.

The change was among subjects elaborated on during the ensuing press briefings after the Cabinet’s meeting last week.

Explaining what the change entails, deputy Cabinet Secretary for Institutional Affairs, Johny Bastienne, said it is related to protected areas which cover about 50% of our territory including our exclusive economic zone which is about 30%.

“The Bill will include additional areas like Grand Police and others like outer islands which are being considered. This is in line with our international commitment to allow us to include those protected areas classification system in accordance to international criteria and standards. It will also help Seychelles in its Debt for nature swap,” Mr Bastienne said.

To protect its most important natural resource, Seychelles completed an innovative debt-for-nature swap in 2016 that enables conservation and climate adaptation goals to be achieved through innovative debt restructuring and a comprehensive marine spatial plan. Negotiated by The Nature Conservancy in partnership with the Seychelles government and the Paris Club, an international debt-relief group, the transaction converts a portion of the nation’s foreign debt into a $22-million investment in expanded marine conservation.

What the amendment is doing, Mr Bastienne said, is it is applying this protected area policy approved by the Cabinet in 2013 as part of the Bill.