Seychelles leads the way in the protection of sharks and rays

It would take you just under two hours to walk the full circumference of D’Arros Island. It is a remote speck on the map, surrounded by the vastness of the Western Indian Ocean on the Seychelles’ outer fringes. But its size belies its significance. Beneath the waves that lap its idyllic white sand beaches lies an almost pristine marine wilderness, where black-tip reef sharks cruise the shallows, vibrant coral reefs bustle with life, and one of the largest aggregations of reef manta rays in Seychelles gathers to feed on an abundance of plankton. Just a short boat ride away is the atoll of St Joseph, a circle of small islands balanced on top of a shallow reef flat that surrounds a central lagoon. At low tide, the reef flat is exposed, and the lagoon is closed off from the rest of the ocean – creating the perfect habitat for juvenile sharks and rays to thrive. In its warm, shallow, sheltered waters, they can grow and learn to hunt while tucked away from the threat of most predators. Later, they will leave this tropical nursery to take advantage of the productive waters that lie beyond the reef flats, to breed and replenish the populations of the many species of shark and ray found around D’Arros – and beyond.

It is a place that is becoming increasingly rare in today’s world; one of our last true ocean wildernesses. And its importance has been recognised both regionally and internationally.  In 2020, as the world hid indoors during the pandemic, the Seychelles government announced their intention to designate both D’Arros and St Joseph as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – with D’Arros becoming the first ‘Zone 1’ MPA, the highest form of protection where fishing activities would be prohibited.

Three years later, the significance of D’Arros and St Joseph for sharks and rays was further solidified as they became officially delineated as an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA). The ISRAs eAtlas, developed by the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group, is a collaborative, evidence-based approach to identify places that are critical to the long-term survival of sharks and rays.  Via regional workshops, experts are brought together to assimilate all available knowledge on potentially important sites for sharks and rays in that region. These sites are then assessed to see if they meet certain criteria relating to shark biology, ecology and conservation, before officially being declared ‘ISRAs’. The resulting information can then be used to help inform conservation measures, including the designation of MPAs.

For Seychellois research scientist Ellie Moulinie, these designations are a source of pride. “Seychelles has been internationally recognised for our dedication to protecting 30% of our EEZ through the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan.” She says. “And it is particularly motivating to see that the waters around D’Arros and St Joseph have been officially designated as both MPAs and an Important Shark and Ray Area. 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.”

Ellie is one of two research officers at the Save Our Seas Foundation D’Arros Research Centre (SOSF-DRC), located on the shores of this remote island. The research conducted by the SOSF-DRC has been integral to securing such protections, providing essential data on the diversity of sharks and rays that use the waters around D’Arros and St Joseph.

However, a recent study has highlighted that protections for critical sites like D’Arros are, unfortunately, few and far between. Published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, the study evaluated the overlap between ISRAs and the boundaries of designated MPAs across the entire Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Stretching from the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa to the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent – encompassing the Maldives, Seychelles and Chagos Archipelago – the WIO is a hotspot for sharks and rays. It supports 270 different species, representing 21% of global chondrichthyan diversity. It is also considered a global ‘dark spot’ for their conservation. Intense fishing pressure has resulted in severe population declines for many species, and almost half (45%) of species are currently threatened with extinction.

In September 2023, regional and international experts gathered both online and in person in Durban, South Africa, to identify potential ISRAs within the WIO.  Following the workshop, 125 sites critical to the survival of sharks and rays were outlined, encompassing a third of all species found in the region.

Concerningly, the authors found that 7.1% of the 125 ISRAs fell within the boundaries of existing MPAs, with just 1% of these being fully protected no-take zones – areas where all human activities that could be considered extractive or destructive, including fishing, are completely banned. These insights highlight real shortfalls in the spatial protection of vital habitats for sharks and rays in the WIO.

But, Seychelles emerged as a leader in shark and ray conservation for the region. There was extremely high overlap between ISRAs and MPAs found within the island nation, and almost all the ISRAs that overlapped with no-take zones occurred in Seychelles waters.

“The findings from this study not only emphasise the importance of our waters as a valuable marine wildlife sector, but also highlight Seychelles as a pioneer in ocean conservation in the Western Indian Ocean.” Ellie says.

D’Arros and St Joseph continue to be a shining example of what is possible if we adequately protect the world beneath the waves. And it is thanks to the vision of the founder of the Save Our Seas Foundation, His Excellency Abdulmohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh. Speaking of D’Arros and St Joseph, His Excellency said: “That place is one of 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 that life, but also supports the next generation of its protectors. I hope it continues to be an example of what can be done elsewhere – not just in the wider Indian Ocean, but the rest of the world.”