Mrs Stravens receives the cheque from Mr Wilson

Coral reef conservation in Seychelles has received a boost with a donation of £7,300 by the British High Commission.

The money was handed over on Friday August 8, to the managing director of the Seychelles Centre for Marine Research and Technology (SCMRT)–Marine Parks Authority (MPA), Mrs Mary Stravens, following speeches by the head of SCMRT-MPA, Mr Rolf Payet, and the British High Commissioner, His Excellency Mr Fraser Wilson.

Mr Payet thanked the High Commissioner for the donation, which he said represented both local commitment and global commitment, due to the worldwide importance of coral reefs.

As co-chairs of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), Mr Payet said that Seychelles and the UK could be proud of their commitment to the environment and added that the work of SCMRT-MPA was intended to improve knowledge of coral reefs, from ministerial to community level.

Mr Wilson said he was delighted that the British foreign office, through the High Commission, was making the donation.

He added that the British government takes the environment very seriously, with particular emphasis in Seychelles on the marine environment, which he described as an area in which a real difference could be made

Mr Wilson explained that the money came from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office's environment programme and was separate to the ICRI partnership, but pointed out that it was an excellent sign that the co-chairs could work together on a project such as this.

SCMRT-MPA acting manager, Mr Jude Bijoux, explained that the donation demonstrates that the British High Commission recognises the good work that SCMRT-MPA is doing in the marine environment.

Mr Bijoux said that the money would be used to increase the number of monitoring sites in the marine national parks so as to obtain better information which would lead to better management practices.

Currently there are six marine national parks, of which five are managed by SCMRT-MPA, these being at Port Launay, Baie Ternay, Ste Anne, Curieuse and Ile Coco.

In addition to increased monitoring Mr Bijoux said that the money would also assist SCMRT-MPA in writing up guidelines for the better management of coral reefs as well as putting together an educational package on coral reef conservation for use in schools.

SCMRT-MPA intends to issue the guidelines in October and to produce the educational package some time before December.

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