The Project
Marine Conservation Volunteer Program in the Seychelles

Extensive meetings with local government agencies SCMRT-MPA, Ministry of Environment and local NGO’s MCSS and NPTS, identified the following project areas that were deemed a priority:

• Coral reef monitoring and recovery research (using SCUBA)
• Invertebrate fisheries surveys
• Whale shark migration observations
• Plankton sampling research
• In-water sea turtle surveys
• Sea Turtle nesting surveys
• Cetacean sighting recordings
• Assistance in managing Curieuse Marine National Park
• Helping to train local partners
• Development of an environmental education and awareness programme.

Please note: all expedition members should be aware that the projects being conducted during any given expedition depend upon the season and the priority needs of our local working partners. The needs of our local working partners will always be our priority, and so GVI reserves the right to add or cancel projects as the seasons and requirements dictate.

Mahe Island

Mahe Island is the largest granitic island in the Seychelles, and is surrounded by coral reef, granite drop-offs and white sandy beaches. The island rises up to forest-covered mountainous terrain, with steep winding roads throughout the island. Although the most developed of the islands, it is still extremely undeveloped relative to other island nations in the region. Mahe hosts the capital of the Seychelles, Victoria. The main industries for the nation are tourism and the tuna fishery.

There are few mammal species on the island, the most obvious being the fruit bat, but there is abundant bird life. There are 12 species of amphibians, 11 of which are endemic to the Seychelles, and numerous reptiles, the most common being the skinks and geckos, with chameleons a rarer sight in the forests. The island also has a wealth of invertebrate life, with harmless but imposing spiders and giant centipedes. Perhaps the most captivating feature of the Seychelles is the surrounding marine environment. Turquoise-blue waters house expansive fringing reefs, providing habitats to a staggering variety of fish and marine invertebrates. The steep shelf surrounding the islands means that, along with the high diversity of reef fish, oceanic species such as tuna and sailfish are common just offshore. Whale sharks and manta rays are also seen regularly around the islands, sometimes very close to shore. The reefs have suffered damage from coral bleaching in recent years, however, biodiversity remains high and coral recovery is good. GVI’s base is the purpose-built, government-owned centre, with all the necessary facilities to operate as a working research station, and is set within the Cap Ternay National Marine Park with scenic views and excellent snorkelling.

Curieuse Island

The expedition has set up a satellite camp on Curieuse Island. This island is situated to the northwest of Mahe, less than 1km from Praslin, the second largest island in the Seychelles. Like much of the Seychelles, Curieuse is covered in lush vegetation, including huge takamaka trees, and it is home to a range of land and sea birds. It is surrounded by a national marine park run by rangers from the Marine Parks Authority, who reside on the island. The island's beautiful trails and visitor centres are available for the public to explore on day trips, but it all truly belongs to the approximately 150 giant tortoises that freely roam the island and far out number the permanent human residents!

Environmental Projects

GVI’s ambitious Marine Research and Conservation Expedition assists the work of local government and NGOs working on the marine environment of the Seychelles, which contains the highest biodiversity in the Indian Ocean. GVI’s partners include the Seychelles Centre for Marine Research and Technology and Marine Parks Authority (SCMRT-MPA), Ministry of Environment, Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) and local NGOs such as the Marine Conservation Society of the Seychelles (MCSS) and Nature Protection Trust of the Seychelles (NPTS), plus international NGOs and universities.

Climate change

GVI Seychelles uses two methodologies (coral recruitment and coral monitoring) to measure the health and recovery potential of the reefs around our shores, in response to the worldwide bleaching events of 1998 and the more localized events of 2002 and 2003. Predicted increases of sea surface temperatures due to climate change may result in more frequent and severe bleaching events in the south-western Indian Ocean. Our monitoring programme studies provide a record of the magnitude and frequency of these events, and the subsequent recovery or degradation of the reef. Over one hundred people a year from different countries participate in our programs, learning about the potential effects of climate change and spreading our concerns worldwide.