Seychelles reaffirmed its regional leadership in fisheries governance by chairing the 13th Session of the Working Party on Collaboration and Cooperation in Tuna Fisheries (WPCCTF) under the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC), held from 17–18 June 2025 in Mauritius.
The session was chaired by Ms. Sheriffa Morel, Director General for Fisheries within the Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, who led discussions on enhancing regional collaboration in tuna fisheries management, including joint strategies on monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), observer coordination, and equitable access frameworks.
Seychelles was also represented by Mr. Vincent Lucas, Head of the Department for Fisheries Management and Technical Coordination at the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA), who contributed technical insights on regional data collection, compliance mechanisms, and capacity building.
In her interventions, Ms. Morel stressed that limited financial and technical resources across the region necessitate stronger alignment and synergy among countries and development partners. She called for consolidated efforts and shared responsibility to ensure cost-effective and sustainable fisheries governance in the South West Indian Ocean.
The meeting brought together representatives from coastal states, regional fisheries management organisations, and technical partners, and reaffirmed the importance of coordinated action to address challenges such as IUU fishing, scientific data needs, and the implementation of regional minimum terms and conditions for foreign access.
Seychelles continues to play a central role in promoting sustainable fisheries and regional solidarity, in line with its fisheries objectives and international commitments.
