Did you know that over 50% of Seychelles’ land is in protected areas and that by 2021, 30% of the waters in Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone will be protected areas.
In line with this the Seychellois are making huge efforts to ensure that Seychelles remains pristine for future generations to enjoy, and with an exclusive economic zone of around 1.3 million SQM … there is plenty of work to do. They are extremely cognisant of their emerging ‘Green’ and ‘Blue’ economies.
Currently there are eight national parks and special reserves on land in Seychelles. This is part of the Government initiative to maximise Seychelles’ “Blue Economy”. Currently, there are six marine parks in Seychelles. Fishing is not allowed in these zones to help ensure they remain pristine. They are managed by the Seychelles National Parks authority. There are designated areas allowed for mooring boats to help ensure that no damage is done to the surrounding reefs.
St Anne Marine Park was the first in the western Indian Ocean and encompasses six small islands, including Cerf Island and Moyenne, which are accessible to tourists. Baie Ternay is a small but beautiful marine park very popular for snorkeling and scuba diving. Curieuse is an important nesting site for Hawksbill Turtles and home to many bright tropical reef fish, including a large parrot fish population. The island makes a great place for a day trip.
Port Launay is very sheltered and another fantastic spot for snorkelling. It’s the only marine park that is accessible by foot as well as by boat.
The largest of the marine parks in Seychelles is Silhouette, which is a stunning place to watch sunsets. Ile Coco is a stunning marine park which is a boat trip from Praslin Island or La Digue Island.