Seychelles launches 1st FiTI Report ever!
Today, Seychelles has officially launched its first ever report to the Fisheries Transparency Initiative, making it the first country in the world to submit such a report. This is a major milestone for the country’s efforts to ensure that fisheries are environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially equitable – not only now, but for generations to come.
Coastal countries, such as Seychelles, face a complex challenge: ensuring that fishing and fish trade contribute to income, employment, food & nutrition security, while also conserving marine biodiversity for future generations.
While there are many aspects to achieve sustainable fisheries, the public availability of credible information is critical.
Despite having a land mass of just 455km2, Seychelles is a large ocean state and major player in the global tuna industry, with an Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.37 million km2.
The purpose of this report is threefold:
- To SUMMARISE KEY STATUS INFORMATION on Seychelles’ fisheries sector to increase public understanding and appreciation of Seychelles’ fisheries sector;
- To ASSESS SEYCHELLES’ LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE against the 12 transparency requirements of the FiTI Standard
- To PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS to Seychelles’ national authorities on how the publication of information in the public domain, e.g. on government websites, can be further improved.
The report makes known a range of previously unpublished information on various topics, including foreign fishing access agreements, stock information, payment and catch data from large- and small-scale fishing vessels, as well as fishing subsidies.
Congratulations, Seychelles!
