Commercial Fisheries - Purse Seine Fishery

Seychelles-flagged purse seines and supply vessels

A Seychelles-flagged purse seine fishing vessel license costs EURO 115,000 (can be paid in two equal instalments). A Seychelles-flagged supply vessel license costs EURO 5,000. These fees must be paid by the owner of the vessel being licensed.

Foreign-flagged purse seines and supply vessels

A foreign-flagged purse seine fishing vessel licence (negotiated under a foreign fishing access agreement other than the EU/Seychelles Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement) costs between EURO 143,000 to EURO 156,000, depending on the agreement.

A foreign-flagged purse seine fishing vessel license (negotiated under the EU/Seychelles Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement) costs EURO 59,500 per vessel for the year.

A foreign-flagged supply vessel license costs EURO 5,000. The three above fees must be paid by the owner of the vessel being licensed.

For Seychelles-flagged purse seines and supply vessels, there are no additional costs (other than those associated with payment of the above vessel licences).

However, under certain foreign fishing access agreements, additional costs (other than those for vessel licences) are required for foreign-flagged purse seines and supply vessels to be able to engage in Seychelles’ purse seine fishery. For example, under the EU/Seychelles Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement, the EU bloc must pay a ‘financial contribution’ of an agreed value for its vessels to be able to fish in Seychelles’ waters. Payment of this ‘financial contribution’ by the EU is in addition to payment of the relevant vessel licence by individual shipowners.

All the above licences for the purse seine fishery are valid for a period of one year.

No, none of the licences for the purse seine fishery are transferable.

The Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA)

Purse seines are licenced to fish only using purse seine nets – long walls of netting framed with float line and lead line which have purse rings hanging from the lower edge of the gear, through which runs a purse line made from steel wire or rope which allows the closing of the net.

The use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) is also permitted in Seychelles’ purse seine fishery, although the Fisheries Act bans the use of unauthorised FADs. There are no other gear restrictions specifically targeting the purse seine fishery, although the use of spearguns, explosives, poisons, and noxious substances is prohibited (across all fisheries including the purse seine fishery).

There are no restrictions preventing purse seiners from fishing during certain seasons of the year.

Purse seines typically target tuna and tuna-like species in Seychelles’ waters and beyond. Management of these species falls under the purview of the relevant regional fisheries management organisation, namely the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). All purse seines fishing in Seychelles’ waters must therefore respect restrictions on targeted species as outlined in the IOTC conservation and management measures.

For example, the IOTC currently limits catches of Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna. Seychelles has a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for yellowfin tuna equivalent to 85% of the country’s yellowfin catch for the year 2014 equivalent to 33,211 tons of yellowfin tuna. Foreign-flagged purse seines fish under their country or bloc’s own quota for yellowfin tuna.

Yes. There are additional measures for Threatened and Endangered and Vulnerable species such as some shark specie, marine turtles, cetaceans, whales, rays and billfishes.

Yes. Section 11 (6) of the Fisheries Act outlines several licence conditions that apply to foreign fishing vessels, including purse seines.

The vessel for which a purse seine fishing licence is being sought must notify the SFA of the name and address of its local agent. The vessel must have no record of non-compliance with international fisheries conservation and management measures.

In addition, the vessel must not be included in any list of vessels having engaged in, or supported, illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing established by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), or any other appropriate regional or international organisation. Equally, the vessel must be recorded on a list of authorised fishing vessels (either by a regional fisheries management organization or any other list recognized by the SFA).

The vessel must also have finalized all payments relating to the licence it is seeking, as well as settle any outstanding financial obligations regarding previous fishing activities in Seychelles’ waters.

Yes, the purse seine fishery is subject to strict reporting requirements.

Yes

Seychelles-flagged purse seines can fish outside of Seychelles’ waters (i.e., in the waters of a third country or on the High Seas). However, they must first apply to the SFA and be issued a Certificate of Authorisation (CoA).

A CoA costs SCR 500 for Seychelles-flagged purse seines that are owned by Seychellois, while a CoA costs USD 3,000 for Seychelles-flagged purse seines that are owned by non-Seychellois.