The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) and Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA) have taken a significant step toward ensuring the sustainable management of sea cucumber resources through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The official signing ceremony, held on Tuesday, 28^th October 2025, at SeyCCAT’s meeting room, marks the formal commitment of both parties to a two-year project aimed at developing an innovative Sea Cucumber Stock Enhancement Programme.

This partnership, supported by a SCR 2 million grant from SeyCCAT’s eighth funding cycle, is designed to address concerns over the over-exploitation and depletion of Seychelles’ second-largest fishery. The MOU solidifies the collaboration to explore sustainable, science-based approaches to replenish wild stocks, which are vital both economically and ecologically.

During the signing event, SFA representatives highlighted the project’s objectives, which are to establish a hatchery and pilot farm, develop breeding and ranching protocols, and enhance local aquaculture capacity. The core strategy involves collecting adult sea cucumbers from the wild, inducing spawning in hatchery conditions, and releasing grown juveniles back into the sea. This method aims to restore populations, support ecological resilience, and enable sustainable harvesting by local fishers.

The initiative’s ambitious goal is to demonstrate whether hatchery-reared juveniles can effectively aid in the resource’s recovery, ensuring long-term sustainability amid rising global demand, projected to reach USD 15.68 billion by 2030. Stakeholders, including Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority and the Seychelles Sea Cucumber Industry Association, will participate through workshops and collaborative planning, reinforcing the project’s comprehensive approach.