Island safeguards its biodiversity
NO HUMANS: 210 000KM² OF PROTECTED AREAS
The deal involves R11.5 million grant by actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s foundation.
With deep blue waters, white sand beaches and rich marine life, the tiny island nation of the Seychelles is announcing a pioneering marine conservation plan as part of a debt swap deal with creditors.
In an agreement described as the first of its kind, the Indian Ocean nation is designating nearly a third of its waters as protected areas, aiming to ensure the longevity of its unique biodiversity.
The archipelago’s 115 islands have been isolated by continental land masses for millions of years. The Aldabra atoll, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is home to the world’s largest population of giant tortoises as well as critically endangered sea cows. It is spawning grounds for a number of rare species.
The government on Wednesday signed a bill restricting nearly all human activity in the waters around Aldabra and overall setting aside more than 210 000km² as protected areas. One part will ban all extractive uses such as fishing and petroleum exploration; the rest will be restricted to sustainable practices. The plan will be completed by 2021.
“A great honour and privilege,” the country’s Environment Minister Didier Dogley, said at the signing.
The deal with the country’s creditors was brokered by USbased The Nature Conservancy and involved a $1 million (R11.5 million) grant by the foundation of actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
At the height of its debt crisis in the late 2000s, the Seychelles was one of the world’s top debt-ridden countries. Its sovereign debt peaked at nearly $1 billion, according to the World Bank.