Seychelles represented at Bermeo Tuna World Capital Cities Forum |09 May 2023

 Signs agreement for cooperation between tuna fishing cities

The acting Mayor of Victoria, Lydia Charlie, accompanied by Philip Michaud, the acting chief executive of the Seychelles Fishing Authority, attended the Bermeo Tuna World Capital Cities Forum which was held in Bilbao and Bermeo, Spain on May 3.

The Bermeo Tuna World Capital is a public-private partnership that seeks to involve all the key players in the tuna value chain in Bermeo, the Basque Country and the world.

The forum, which was attended by institutions, scientific bodies, specialised UN agencies, and companies in the fisheries sector, among others, saw the signing of the ‘Alliance Agreement between Tuna Cities for Sustainable Human Development’ – A  global alliance between tuna cities committed to sustainable human development.

Acting Mayor of Victoria, Ms Charlie, signed on behalf of the City of Victoria.

The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between cities where tuna fishing represents a substantial part of their economy, society, environment, history, culture and future.

The Alliance of Tuna Cities for Sustainable Human Development fosters the relationship between science and fishing, fostering training and awareness; recuperating, managing and publicising historical heritage.
All its activities form an excellent basis to take on the sustainable development goals in Agenda 2030 in each of the signatory cities through a systemic, dynamic, multi-agent and collaborative approach, taking into account the environmental and social impacts of the economic activity of tuna fishing throughout the supply chain, and promoting awareness, political action and multi-level,multi-actor consensus based on the empowerment of local agents, key figures in the local governance of sustainable development.
To note, Port Victoria is a top port for the transfer of tuna in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles lies right in the middle of the tuna migration route in the western Indian Ocean. This is a stretch of ocean over three times the size of California, which yields the biggest tuna catch in the Indian Ocean.

The ‘twinned’ cities are Manta (Ecuador), Victoria (Seychelles), Pago Pago

(American Samoa), Concarneau (France), General Santos (Philippines),

Bermeo (Bizkaia, Spain) and Majuro (Marshall Islands).

The accompanying photos show some highlights of Seychelles’ participation at the forum.

Contributed/compiled by Patsy Canaya