Meet the scientist
A look back on the work of ecologist Zeddy Seymour
Zeddy Seymour gathered vital information on whale sharks and manta rays in West Africa .
In July 2019, MarAlliance’s Cabo Verde country co-ordinator Zeddy Seymour tragically died, aged 32, while spearfishing off the island of Sal, Cabo Verde. “Zeddy was surprisingly positive with regard to the work that he was doing, at a time when many of the messages in the media can be rather gloomy,” says his father, Nicholas Seymour. “He highlighted the need for a Marine Protected Area in Cabo Verde.”
MarAlliance was formed in 2014 by zoologist Dr Rachel Graham to improve the understanding and conservation of threatened marine species and their habitats at a grassroots level by using scientific study to support its management work and engage with local communities. It has bases in four countries and operates in seven.
Graham was immediately impressed by University of Exeter conservation and biodiversity Masters student Seymour when he worked with her for his thesis in 2012: “He went above and beyond and was passionate about sharks.”
In 2015, Seymour began the first large study of sharks in Cabo Verde for MarAlliance around the islands of Boavista, Maio and Sal, while improving the understanding and conservation of these animals with fishers, students and decisionmakers. “I taught him how to catch and satellite tag sharks,” says Graham. “He went on to gather vital information on whale sharks and manta rays in West Africa.”
Eastern Cabo Verde is a hotspot for marine biodiversity though many species lack the scientific data necessary to underpin effective management while threats from fisheries and coastal development continue to rise. Surveys conducted by Seymour and his colleagues reveal patterns of diversity and distribution, highlighting critical foraging and nursery habitats.
One particular nursery area he identified is used by several shark species, including the Critically Endangered scalloped hammerhead and regionally endemic
Atlantic weasel. The conservationist discovered how young sharks used the bay during this critical part of their development and presented the case for a Marine Protected Area. The nursery also supports an octopus fishery: “Zeddy embraced the MarAlliance ethos of working with traditional fishers and fisheries,” says Graham. “He and fisher community co-ordinator Ze Luis Monteiro contributed to the National Plan of Action for Sharks in government meetings.” Fishing can often be higher in nursery sites due to their proximity to towns and cities, and sharks are particularly vulnerable to getting caught in gear. Seymour’s work continues under the leadership of country co-ordinator Cintia Lima and research officer Francesco Garzon. “We are trying to get the bay declared as a protected area and implement a no-take zone for juvenile sharks and octopus to allow populations to recover,” says Graham. “We don’t wait to publish a scientific paper before we start taking action.” Jo Price