Seychelles assesses octopus fishery through two projects |21 December 2023

Results and updates of two ongoing projects to study the local octopus fishery were presented during a National Octopus Workshop held yesterday at the Eden Bleu hotel.

The training was coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA).

It looked firstly at a study led by the SFA to determine the key species of octopi found in Seychelles’ waters. The project, which is being funded by the Seychelles Climate Change Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT), is also investigating certain socio-economic aspects of the fishery.

The second project spearheaded by the FAO dubbed TCP/SEY/3805 offers Seychelles a valuable opportunity to delve into the value-chain process in its fishery sector. This initiative aligns with the government’s strategy to boost the economic returns from fisheries by developing efficient value-chains.

Fishing consultant, Dr Ameer Ebrahim, explained that a value chain is a component of fishery where every aspect is looked at in depth; from production until it reaches the plate. A questionnaire was developed to talk to all the actors in the sector. Around 75 key stakeholders were engaged through interviews, namely fishermen, local traders, retail and wholesale businesses, processing firms, and establishments such as hotels, restaurants and other catering services on Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue.

It covered various questions, such as where they were getting the octopus, the prices and constraints they were faced with.

One of the main outcomes of the study was that Seychelles has an estimated 200 tonnes of octopus per annum. This has a value of more than R32 million. Another major outcome was a lot of octopus was imported.

 “If you ask me why, I believe there are two reasons. The first is the price as it is half the price of the local octopus, and secondly, the consistency. Many of the hotels are saying the supply of octopus in the country is not consistent,” explained Dr Ebrahim.

One of the major constraints highlighted by 100 percent of the respondents was the country’s drug issue has an impact on the fishery. “I am not saying that every fisherman is on drugs,” said Dr Ebrahim. However, he explained it was attracting a group of people who were not fishermen but wanted to make quick cash. This meant they were capturing juvenile octopi under 10 centimetres.

When officially opening the training, Designated Minister Jean-François Ferrari, who is also responsible for fisheries, said it was important to assess the stock of the species, which is well appreciated in Seychelles’ cuisine. He added that octopus fishery has been practised throughout Seychelles for decades, without taking into account the stock’s reproduction rate. “As the years go by, statistics have shown there was a reduction in the amount and size of octopi being captured.”

Compared to other fish species, octopus is one that reproduces fast which makes it a more sustainable and resilient species. “However, like anything else, it needs to be maintained and managed in a sustainable method for the long term benefits,” said Mr Ferrari.

This was a philosophy adopted by many countries in the Indian Ocean. He cited Rodrigues as one of the countries that has managed its stock properly, leading to a booming octopus export business, with tonnes being exported. Octopus fishery is also considered as a lucrative business.

For his part, principal secretary for Agriculture, Kevin Nancy, said Seychelles sought FAO’s technical assistance for business development and investment opportunities in fisheries.

“The octopus value chains and the biological study should set the pace to identify current barriers for sustainability of octopus fisheries and also identify areas to enhance the fisheries sector through capacity building, and knowledge sharing opportunities,” he stated.

All information collected through the two projects will now be submitted to government for future actions.

Sunny Esparon

Photos by Joena Meme