Thirteen projects to receive R11.7m in grants in support of marine protected areas |17 March 2023

Seychelles Nation

Thirteen Seychellois-led projects will be awarded R11.7 million in grants from the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) to advance marine conservation, climate adaptation and the blue economy.

The 13 selected projects will support marine and coastal protected areas including sustainable use zones.

The project activities will include strengthening management of these zones, providing research on water quality, and deepening the understanding of critical habitats such as coral reefs.

The Blue Grants Fund was established in 2016 and is capitalised from the proceeds of the Blue Bond and the Debt-for-Nature Swap. It offers grants of up to R2 million to commercial, non-profit and research projects that advance marine science, support climate adaptation and contribute to the blue economy development.

Every year, the Blue Grants Fund launches a 6-week call for applications from Seychelles-based individuals, businesses, civil society, government departments and parastatal organisations. Once confirmed, the applicants will have one year (for small and medium grants) or two years (for large grants) to complete their projects.

In the past, the Blue Grants Fund supported such internationally recognised initiatives as the Aldabra clean-up, rotating fisheries closure in Praslin, and coral connectivity research.

“We are very encouraged to see our applicants becoming more and more ambitious and pitching ideas that are larger in scope and in funding needs. At SeyCCAT, we are happy to support them and nurture their ideas that protect our unique natural environment and help us build a stronger and more resilient economy,” says Marie-May Jeremie, chief executive of SeyCCAT.

The full list of the Blue Grants Fund 6 nominated grantees are:

Small grants – up to R100,000

–           Desroches Foundation

–           Alessia Lavigne

–           Gilberte Gendron

Medium and large grants – up to R2 million

–           John Nevill

–           GVI Seychelles

–           Nature Seychelles

–           Marketing guru

–           Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Seychelles

–           Richard Assary

–           Islands Development Company (IDC)

–           Sheryl Vangadasamy

–           Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA)

–           Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS)

About SeyCCAT

The Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) is a conservation and climate adaptation trust fund, with a mandate to provide a sustainable flow of funds to support the long-term management and expansion of the Seychelles system of marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, and other activities that contribute to sustainable development.

The Blue Grants Fund

The Blue Grants Fund (BGF) offers grants to impactful Seychellois-led projects that advance marine conservations, sustainable fisheries, development of new and existing marine protected areas (MPAs), and select other blue sectors. Alongside the Blue Investment Fund managed by the Development Bank of Seychelles, the BGF is a part of the Seychelles’ Blue Finance approach.

Press release from SeyCCAT