World Oceans Day |09 June 2022

The beach clean-up in full swing (Photos: Louis Toussaint)

Blue Economy department hosts forum and clean-up

To commemorate World Oceans Day yesterday, the department of the Blue Economy under the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy in collaboration with the department of Youth and Sports, organised a half-day forum for students attending professional centres.

The forum took place at the University of Seychelles auditorium, Anse Royale.

The students from both School of Advanced Level studies (Sals) and the Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD) learned the importance of Blue economy but more importantly how to recognise business opportunities in the Blue economy sector.

Elna Etienne, the principal information and communications officer for the department of Blue Economy noted that the department “is always happy to host activities that promote and encourage the youth to contribute towards the development of Seychelles”.

She further added that the World Oceans Day is a day that reminds us of how important our seas, oceans and marine resources are.

“As Seychellois we all heavily depend on the ocean, directly or indirectly,” Ms Etienne said.

The department aims to sensitise the youth of Seychelles on how everyone can sustain and manage the Seychelles ocean space for economic, environmental and social growth.

The forum taught the students the importance of the Blue economy and having a circular economy rather than linear which leads to wastes instead of recycling resources.

With an Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.37 million square kilometres the country has not fully tapped into the business opportunities the sector offers, highlighted Terrence Crea, the principal programme development officer in the department of Blue Economy.

The forum also brought out the existing and emerging Blue economy sectors in Seychelles such as marine renewable, coastal, tourism, marine biotechnology, aquaculture and more.

The students also learned the importance of finding niche markets in the sector and how they can benefit from creativity and innovations by finding opportunities from understanding the industry.

The principal secretary for Youth and Sports, Ralph Jean-Louis, recognised the importance of business in the Blue Economy sector noting that under the theme ‘revitalisation’ for the World Oceans Day reflecting on how to protect the ocean which is a source of life.

He added that we should not focus on only removing from the ocean but also to protect for future generations.

Following the forum the students from both professional centres met up with the staff of the department of Blue Economy to clean up the coast of Anse Royale.

Marla Simeon