SPCS Talks Vol. 11 | Sharing Responsibility through Marine Co-Management

From April 2019 to March 2024, an ambitious project in Seychelles, off the east coast of Africa, sought to create the nation’s first Locally Managed Marine Area. While several initiatives are already in place to protect and manage the country’s rich coastal and marine resources, there remain challenges: namely, the capacity to effectively manage its existing (and expanding) system of protected areas, and governmental financial support for conservation. Therefore, Seychelles’s government advocates for co-management through partnerships of government and non-government stakeholders.

Enter the LEAP project, which sought to bolster community engagement in local co-management. It was overseen by Nature Seychelles and spearheaded by Corinne Julie, who will be our guest for SPCS Talks Vol. 11.

An aerial view of Baie Ternay Marine Park, a protected area in Seychelles.

In western Indian Ocean countries like Seychelles, a lack of cohesive governance frameworks detracts from the local benefits of conservation and resource management. To remedy this, the Locally Empowered Areas of Protection (LEAP) project was established in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Seychelles. Coordinated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), LEAP is a 5-year endeavor that aims to strengthen governance and management of marine and coastal resources.

While LEAP is a cooperative effort among various domestic and international stakeholders, its chief concern is the local community and its livelihood — in turn, area residents are highly interested in LEAP’s work.

Each context has unique challenges, but each country’s LEAP program works on multiple layers, from government policy to local education and advocacy, in order to understand and meet stakeholder needs. Julie’s challenge was cultivating local support for a co-managed marine area and its benefits, which necessitated research, engagement, and education. She will speak with us about her work with LEAP, from reaching out to stakeholders to establishing new ecological educational centers for Seychellois youth.

The LEAP project’s ultimate objective was to pilot a co-managed marine area at the site of two existing marine national parks (MNPs). Unlike other LMMAs in the world, where entire communities own and rely on shared marine resources, LEAP’s target area had a very small fishing community. Therefore, they opted to advocate for an inclusive governance structure, where stakeholders would collaborate in decision-making for the MNPs. Bringing everyone on board required a firm foundation of data, dialogue, and education.

Site surveys were essential for making the case for LEAP. Data collected in marine ecosystem, geology, and community surveys could inform LEAP’s activities and allow Julie to make data-driven decisions. What biodiversity and ecology exists in the waters around Seychelles? How familiar are local people with the species richness in their backyard, and looming threats — how can they be made part of the solution?

Volunteers and rangers journeyed through the coastal ecosystems of Seychelles to gather biodiversity and environmental data.

Inclusive governance starts with bringing together stakeholders — residents living in and around marine resources are obvious beneficiaries. However, LEAP needed many other voices at the table such as tourism operators, educational institutions, and members of government. After identifying stakeholders, the work of engaging them to participate in MNP governance began. In addition to disseminating research findings, LEAP directly met with community members to build trust and facilitate discussions about co-management.

• Philanthropists looking for projects to support in the Global South.
• City officials looking for case studies for co-management of marine resources combined with education and eco-tourism.
• Researchers looking for examples of integrating ecological research with economic and cultural activities.

• This program will be conducted in English. (There are plans to provide either real-time interpretation or display automatic translation text, but please note that not all talks may be covered.)
• We reserve the right to change this program with no prior notice.