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Scientific and Exploratory Fishing
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Definitions
Scientific and exploratory fishing or research undertaken on fisheries resources gathers knowledge on the resource and its environment. It includes, but not limited to, sampling, collecting, observing, or surveying the fish or fishery resources within the Seychelles waters.
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Regulation of scientific and exploratory fishing in Seychelles
Current provisions in the Fisheries Act are quite limited. At the moment, the process is ambiguous as it involves several agencies/departments including SFA, National Institute for Science Technology Innovation (NISTI), Seychelles Bureau of Standards and Ministry responsible for Environment. However, this will be expanded on in the revision.
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Do I need a licence to engage in the scientific and exploratory fishing?
According to the Fisheries Act, individuals or institutions wishing to carry out scientific and exploratory fishing or research on fisheries resources in Seychelles’ waters must first gain authorisation from the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), after having received the approval of the Minister responsible for fisheries.
If the Minister’s approval is received, the SFA can enter into an agreements or grant (in writing) authorisation allowing vessels, individuals, or organisations to engage in fishing-related activities in Seychelles’ waters for the purpose of scientific research. -
How much does it cost to gain authorisation to undertake scientific research on fisheries?
There is no fixed fee. Instead, the SFA stipulates the specific terms and conditions of any authorisation it grants.
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How long is such an authorisation valid for?
There is no fixed duration. Instead, the SFA stipulates the specific terms and conditions of any authorisation it grants.
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Can I transfer my authorisation to someone else?
No
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Which authority is responsible for issuing licences?
The Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA)
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What fishing gear can I use to fish for scientific purposes?
The fishing gears that can be used for scientific/exploratory fishing purposes will be specified on the license issued by the SFA. Depending on the type of research/exploration or the scientific rationale, permission might be given authorizing the use of spear guns, poisons, noxious substances, and other gears that are usually not authorized under other licenses.
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Are there any restrictions regarding fishing seasons or can I go fishing all year around?
No. However, this will be specified within the licence conditions by the Authority.
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Are there limits on how many fish I can catch per day?
No. However, this might be specified within the licence conditions by the Authority.
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Can I transfer my licence to someone else?
No.
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Are there any additional restrictions regarding targeted species or other general licence conditions?
No. However, additional restrictions might be imposed in the license conditions by the Authority.
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Do I have to inform someone about my catches?
Yes. While there are no specific conditions concerning catch reporting for the scientific fishery, Article 7 (2) of the Fisheries Act makes it a requirement for anyone engaged in fishing and fishing-related activities to provide information regarding their activities (including catch, effort, fishing locations, landing and transshipment) to the SFA when requested.
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Can I sell my catches caught scientific fishing?
Not stipulated if you can or cannot. Allowing the sale of catches from scientific fishing might be considered if there is a strong rationale.
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Commercial Fisheries - The Large-Scale/Industrial Sector
Purse Seine Fishery
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Do I need a licence to engage in the purse seiner fishery?
Yes. All vessels (including purse seines and supply vessels) must hold a valid vessel licence. This applies to both Seychelles-flagged and foreign-flagged vessels.
Seychelles-flagged purse seines and supply vessels
For a Seychelles-flagged purse seine to engage in the fishery, it must hold a ‘Seychelles-flagged purse seine fishing vessel licence’. A Seychelles-flagged supply vessel must hold a ‘Seychelles-flagged supply vessel licence’.
Foreign-flagged purse seines and supply vessels
For a foreign-flagged purse seine to engage in the fishery, it must hold a ‘foreign-flagged purse seine fishing licence’. A foreign-flagged supply vessel must hold a ‘foreign-flagged supply vessel licence.’ To note, foreign fishing licences to enter the purse seine fishery are not usually issued on a ‘case-by-case’ basis – they must be issued under a foreign fishing access agreement signed between Seychelles and a third party (as stated in Section 12 of the Fisheries Act).
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How much do these licences cost?
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.
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Are there any other costs associated with gaining access to Seychelles’ purse seine fishery?
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.
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How long is a licence valid?
All the above licences for the purse seine fishery are valid for a period of one year.
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Can I transfer my licence to someone else?
No, none of the licences for the purse seine fishery are transferable.
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Which authority is responsible for issuing licences?
The Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA)
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What gear can I use to fish in the purse seine fishery?
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).
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Are there any restrictions regarding fishing seasons or can I go fishing all year round?
There are no restrictions preventing purse seiners from fishing during certain seasons of the year.
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Are there limits on how many fish a purse seine can catch?
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.
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Are there any additional restrictions on targeted species?
Yes. There are additional measures for Threatened and Endangered and Vulnerable species such as some shark specie, marine turtles, cetaceans, whales, rays and billfishes.
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Are there any other licence conditions I should be aware of?
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.
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Do I have to inform someone about my catches?
Yes, the purse seine fishery is subject to strict reporting requirements.
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Can I sell my catches caught scientific fishing?
Yes
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Can Seychelles-flagged purse seines fish outside of Seychelles’ waters?
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.