CSD-7:
Sustainable Development Success Stories

Pilot Project on Sensibility Mapping of Shallow Water Areas of Mahé

Location  Mahé (Seychelles).
Responsible Organisation

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and Indian Ocean Commission (COI).
Description

This project involved the production of an Atlas on sensibility mapping of shallow water areas of Mahé. The Atlas is a concrete result of the technical and financial support granted by the IOC and the COI through the Environmental Regional Programme of the European Union (PRE/COI-UE), as a contribution to the national environment programme of the Seychelles. The Atlas is a working tool which enables decision makers to:

  • set the required environmental standards for integrated coastal management, such as quality of waters and level of studies;

  • oriente the infrastructure management (development sites, choices of protected areas)

  • minimise the conflicts which may occur and alleviate pressures that affect the marine environment, by controlling activities such as fisheries, recreational activities, and transportation.
Issues Addressed Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), Conservation of Marine Resources.
Results Achieved The Atlas constitutes a tool that can assist the establishment of a plan for the integrated coastal zone management of Mahé. During the project, national experts were trained to carry out environmental assessments, and to handle environmental data through the use of GIS. The marine environment experts use the Atlas as a reference source when studying various types of marine environments. The methodology used for the production of this Atlas is cost efficient and is easily transferable and adaptable to other Small Island Developing States.
Lessons Learned Decision-makers have a new tool when developing a plan for coastal management that allows them to take into account the environmental sensibility of Mahé.
Contact

Julian Barbiere, Regional Programmes & ICM
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) UNESCO
1, rue Miollis
75732 Paris Cedex 15 France
Tel. (33 1) 45 68 40 45; fax (33 1) 45 68 58 12;
E-mail: j.barbiere@unesco.org