Today, Seychelles joins the international community in commemorating the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, a day that reminds us of our shared responsibility to safeguard our ocean resources and secure sustainable fisheries for generations to come.
As a Small Island Developing State whose economy, food security, and culture are deeply connected to the sea, Seychelles continues to recognise the serious threat posed by IUU fishing. These illegal activities undermine fisheries management and conservation efforts, threaten marine biodiversity, and weaken economic opportunities for lawful fishers. Consequently, the fight against IUU fishing is not merely a law enforcement matter. It is fundamentally linked to our food security and the long-term viability of our Blue Economy.
At the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA), we remain fully committed to strengthening our national efforts to combat IUU fishing through robust Monitoring, Control and Surveillance systems, stronger regional cooperation, and the continued modernisation of fisheries governance.
A landmark step in this journey was the enactment of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2025, which provides a modern, comprehensive legal framework for the sustainable management of Seychelles’ fisheries resources. This legislation strengthens our capacity to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing through enhanced governance, strengthened compliance and enforcement mechanisms, and a modern regulatory framework aligned with our international obligations.
Over the past year, Seychelles has continued to strengthen its contribution to efforts aimed at promoting sustainable fisheries management, transparency, and the fight against IUU fishing. Recent developments include ongoing efforts to finalise the National Plan of Action to Combat IUU Fishing and the continued development and implementation of Electronic Monitoring Systems (EMS) in our fishing fleets. We have strengthened regional and international cooperation through our participation in Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA). SFA has also engaged more broadly in regional cooperation initiatives aimed at strengthening fisheries governance and compliance, while Seychelles continues to strengthen its ability to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU through our national frameworks and partnerships.
Seychelles has long championed responsible fisheries governance on the global stage. Our continued recognition under the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) reflects Seychelles’ commitment to transparency, accountability, and stakeholder participation in fisheries governance.
As we commemorate this important day, I call upon all stakeholders, fishers, industry operators, enforcement agencies, civil society, and the wider public to continue supporting efforts to combat IUU fishing. Protecting our ocean is a collective responsibility, and together we can ensure that our fisheries remain productive, resilient, and sustainable for future generations.