The Seychelles Fisheries Authority’s Fisheries Research Department has recently published its 2025 Status Report, which reviews the condition of the country’s main coastal and nearshore fisheries (artisanal and semi-industrial).

The report summarizes recent stock assessments and fishery indicators, and highlights management outcomes and knowledge gaps. The report focuses on artisanal handline, trap, and net fisheries, spiny lobsters, sea cucumbers, spanner crab, octopus, and sharks/rays across the Mahe and Amirantes plateaux.

Information in the report indicates that several important reef and demersal stocks are subject to high fishing mortality. The key conclusions are:

 – Some high-value demersal species (emperor red snapper, jobfish) are classified as “maximally sustainably fished” but show high fishing pressure.

 – Several stocks (trevally, barracuda, and some groupers) show indicators of depletion and/or overfishing.

 – Sea cucumber species show mixed trends: white teatfish severely depleted; flower teatfish declined but with spatial variability; prickly redfish trends are uncertain.

 – Several fisheries (octopus, mackerel, sharks/rays, spanner crab) are data-limited and remain “uncertain”.

The report also presents key recommendations and management implications. This includes:

– Continue and expand species-level monitoring (trap catches, length sampling), and fisheries-independent surveys (lobster PLMP, sea cucumber surveys).

– Improve data resolution: separate multi-species catch groups into families/species where possible (recommended for trap and other mixed catches).

– Maintain and adapt management measures for vulnerable, high-value species: seasonal closures, TACs/quotas (sea cucumber), size limits and bans (white teatfish closure), gear restrictions and licensing (lobster, traps, nets).

– Apply FAO WoEF and precautionary approaches for data-poor stocks and keep participatory processes with stakeholders (co-management on Mahe Plateau).

– Prioritize assessments for data-poor but high-value or vulnerable fisheries (spanner crab, octopus, sharks/rays, mackerel).

In conclusion, the 2025 SFA Fisheries Research report presents a mixed picture. Some commercially important fish stocks are showing signs of recovery or maintaining stable biomass due to management efforts. However, several species, including groupers, trevally, barracuda, and both white and flower teatfish, are experiencing depletion or evidence of overfishing.  Management actions for sea cucumbers, such as Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and seasonal closures, along with ongoing monitoring of lobster populations, highlight the importance of evidence-based action. The primary needs moving forward include improved species-level data, continued fisheries-independent surveys, and adaptive management strategies to sustain the livelihoods of local communities and the ecosystem services provided by the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).