"Pinging" the location of fish in Seychelles
A Nature Seychelles team working on a project to study fish movement in and the around the Cousin Island Special Reserve has began putting acoustic tags in some Rabbitfish (Kordonnyen). The activity is being done in collaboration with the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA). The team of Tove Jörgensen and Craig Syms is using traditional bamboo traps (Kasye) to catch rabbitfishes, tag them with conventional tags and then surgically implant an acoustic tag in the abdomen. They are working with mainly “Shoemaker spinefoot” (Siganus sutor).
The Minister of Tourism and Culture Mr Alain St Ange visited Cousin on Monday in the company of the Chief Executive and Director of Nature Seychelles Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah and Ms Kerstin Henri respectively. The Minster said that he and his senior staff were "very impressed by Cousin". He congratulated Nature Seychelles for having "developed the art of managing a reserve that belongs to the birds where humans can visit as guests."
The 1st wildlife day was celebrated around the world on Monday, 3rd March 2014, the day adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2013 to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora. "Wildlife is integral to our future through its essential role in science, technology and recreation. It is intrinsic to our continued heritage and sustainable development," the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said during this year's celebration.
The UN has officially launched 2014 as the International Year of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The launch ceremony to take place on Monday 24 February, at UN Headquarters in New York. "The International Year is an opportunity to appreciate the extraordinary resiliency and rich cultural heritage of the people of small island developing States" Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said. “This Year takes place at a time when the vast majority of islands are combating the ravages of climate change, and some, like the Maldives are literally sinking because of it,” the current UN General Assembly President, John Ashe, said during a ceremony that included singing, dancing and story-telling.
Recent heavy rains have proved that Nature Seychelles improvements to the Sanctuary at Roche Caiman wetland work. Flood protection, flow maintenance and water purification are some of the important functions that wetlands provide, and during the past couple of weeks it was noted that unlike in previous years, the road leading to the offices of Nature Seychelles as well as the main road and surrounding areas were not flooded by the heavy rains that fell on Mahe. "It's incredible what a well maintained wetland can do," says Dr. Nirmal Shah, Nature Seychelles Chief Executive. "The wetland did not overflow, our road and its surroundings was not flooded, and we were able to go in and out of our premises. This was not the case before. In the past, we have even once or twice had to tell members and staff to stay away because our road was inaccessible."