VICTORIA, Seychelles — Illegal lobster fishing remains a significant problem in Seychelles, with the latest lobster fishing survey conducted by the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA) estimating that 10 percent of lobsters in the country are caught illegally. The findings were revealed during a validation workshop organised by the SFA and held at Savoy Resort & Spa on Thursday morning.
According to Dr Ameer Ebrahim, consultant with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), demand for the delicacy continues to surpass supply, driving the illegal catch. The staggering findings, related to the socio-economic aspects of the fishery, the value chain from harvest to market, and the feasibility of introducing a post-harvest tagging programme, were presented to key stakeholders, researchers, fisheries experts, and industry representatives for review.
This comprehensive approach aims to improve traceability, ensure the long-term sustainability of lobster stocks, and strengthen the livelihoods dependent on the fishery. The initiative, under the project titled ‘Understanding the Lobster Fishery: Socio-Economic, Value Chain, and Feasibility of Tagging’, is being carried out in collaboration with TNC, an international conservation organisation working with the SFA on fisheries management.
Officials noted that a tagging programme would allow the SFA and partners to track lobsters from harvest to market, helping to separate legally caught lobsters from those taken illegally, and providing a powerful tool for enforcement. The validation workshop brought together fishers, processors, hoteliers, and government officials to discuss the next steps in implementing the recommendations from the study, with a focus on long-term sustainability of the lobster fishery.
