Environmental groups win funds to protect marine zones |04 May 2009
Ms Banbury (SIF), Mr Renaud (MPA) and Mrs Stravens (ICS) signing contracts to receive the funds
The money has been granted by the Regional Programme for the Sustainable Management of the Coastal Zones of the Indian Ocean Countries (Recomap) under a marine protected areas plan.
A total of €750,000 was available for projects in all member countries of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), with a maximum grant of €75,000 per proposal. Bids were requested last November, and nine projects were put forward from Seychelles.
The successful bidders here were the Marine Parks Authority (MPA), which has been granted €68,776 to renovate and improve infrastructure in the Curieuse marine park; the Island Conservation Society (ICS) – €65,226 to improve management of the Aride island nature reserve; and the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) – a maximum €75,000 to
The three groups signed contracts to receive the funds last Monday in a ceremony at the Climate and Environmental Division of the Department of Environment at English River, which was also attended by Wills Agricole, Recomap representative here, and Jeanette D’Offay, IOC liaison officer.
The contracts were signed on behalf of the three groups by representatives Mary Stravens (ICS), Ronny Renaud (MPA) and Nancy Banbury (SIF).
Also during the ceremony, Mr Agricole handed over fishing gear and laboratory equipment worth €5,000, on behalf of Recomap, to the Maritime Training Centre (MTC).
MTC principal Captain Wilton Ernesta accepted the equipment and said it will help to improve the practical side of running the centre’s advanced diploma course.