Coral reefs of Anse Royale bay, Silhouette Island and Curieuse Island in Seychelles have been identified as sites for the REEFFISH project aimed at increasing the resilience of fishing communities that rely on coral reefs for their livelihoods.
The regional project is being carried out in Seychelles, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, and Mauritius. With a total of $4.4 million being distributed among the countries, the project is funded by the Japanese government and supported by the Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO).
Through the project, the fisheries ministry of Seychelles is seeking to restore the identified coral reef ecosystems and assist the fishing communities in better managing the resources of coral reefs.
The principal secretary for fisheries, Roy Clarisse, told reporters on Wednesday after a second meeting of the steering committee, that not only are they looking to restore coral reefs with the help of environmental NGOs but considering how the pressure that currently exists on coral reefs can be reduced.
“We are looking at placing anchored FADs [fish aggregating devices] that can attract other species of fish, allowing fishermen to target other fish species. Under the project, fishermen will benefit with safety equipment such as flares, whistles, and lights among others,” said Clarisse.
Three sites were chosen for the project – Silhouette, Anse Royale and Curieuse for specific purposes.
Clarisse explained that Silhouette is a site used for artisanal fishing by fishers from fishing communities of northern Mahe.