Seychelles leads the way in the protection of sharks and rays

A new study published in Ecology and Evolution has evaluated the extent to which recently identified Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) in the Western Indian Ocean overlap with existing marine protected areas. Of the 125 ISRAs identified across the region, only 7.1% currently fall within marine protected areas – and just 1% of these areas are designated as fully protected no-take zones, where all extractive activities are banned. These insights highlight real shortfalls in the protection of sites critical to the survival of sharks and rays for breeding, pupping and feeding.

However, one country stood out as a leader in shark and ray conservation for the region. The authors found an exceptionally high overlap between ISRAs and marine protected areas within Seychelles waters, with almost all ISRAs that overlap with no-take zones located in Seychelles’ exclusive economic zone.

‘Seychelles has been internationally recognised for our commitment to protecting 30% of our exclusive economic zone through the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan,’ said Seychellois marine scientist Ellie Moulinie. Ellie is a research officer at the Save Our Seas Foundation D’Arros Research Centre (SOSF-DRC), an institution that has been instrumental in getting protective legislation over the line. ‘The findings from this study highlight Seychelles as a pioneer in ocean conservation in the Western Indian Ocean.’

The findings are especially significant given the critical conservation status of sharks and rays globally. Sharks and rays are facing a global extinction crisis. Overfishing, habitat loss and climate change have driven major population declines over the past century, placing increasing pressure on already vulnerable species.

The Western Indian Ocean region embodies this challenge. Stretching from South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province to the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and including Seychelles, the Maldives and the Chagos Archipelago, it is a global hotspot for shark and ray diversity. The region supports 270 species, representing 21% of global chondrichthyan diversity. Yet it is also considered a global conservation ‘dark spot’, with 45% of its species currently threatened with extinction, largely due to intense fishing pressure.

To improve the protection of these species, the IUCN Shark Specialist Group introduced the ISRA project to the Western Indian Ocean. ISRAs are identified through a rigorous, evidence-based process that brings together regional and international experts to compile and assess all available data on critical shark and ray habitats.

In September 2023, experts met in Durban, South Africa – both in person and online – to identify ISRAs across the Western Indian Ocean. The process resulted in the delineation of 125 critical sites, representing habitats vital to about a third of all shark and ray species in the region. These ISRAs provide a science-based foundation for stronger and more targeted conservation planning, including the designation or refinement of marine protected areas.

Whereas most countries in the region still show limited alignment between these critical habitats and existing marine protected areas, Seychelles demonstrates what is possible. One of the strongest examples is D’Arros Island and the neighbouring St Joseph Atoll in the Seychelles Outer Islands. These remote locations are home to the SOSF-DRC, where researchers have spent years studying the thriving shark and ray populations of the surrounding waters.

Because of this long-term research effort, D’Arros and St Joseph have now been recognised as an ISRA, while also being formally designated as marine protected areas under the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan. D’Arros has been afforded the highest level of protection as a Zone 1 marine protected area, reflecting its exceptional biodiversity and global ecological importance.

For Ellie, this recognition is hugely rewarding. ‘To see years of dedication and data collection translate into real-world conservation outputs is very satisfying and should further justify the continued protection of this vital system,’ she says.

His Excellency Abdulmohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh, founder of the Save Our Seas Foundation, also emphasised the broader global relevance of this work. ‘D’Arros and St Joseph are among the last jewels left in the marine world because of all the life there. My vision was to create a world-class field station that not only protects this life, but also supports the next generation of its protectors. I hope it becomes an example not just for the Indian Ocean, but for the rest of the world too.’

About the Save Our Seas Foundation

Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2003, the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) is a philanthropic organisation whose ultimate goal is to create a legacy of securing the health and sustainability of our oceans, and the communities that depend on them, for generations to come.

Its support for research, conservation and education projects worldwide focuses on endangered sharks, rays and skates. Three permanent SOSF research and education centres reinforce its actions in Seychelles, South Africa and the USA.

Contact

Jade Schultz
Global Communications Manager
Save Our Seas Foundation
Rue Philippe Plantamour, 20
CH - 1201 Geneva
jade@saveourseas.com
+41 22 900 10 54