Seychelles Reportedly Bets on Science to Save Its Coral Reefs—and Its Economy
Seychelles Reportedly Bets on Science to Save Its Coral Reefs—and Its Economy
The nation is turning to science and innovation to fight coral bleaching, Dr. Nirmal Shah, CEO of the conservation-driven NGO Nature Seychelles, told an American business magazine.
🪸 With international support, the organization is building the region’s most advanced coral breeding facility.
This initiative moves beyond traditional "coral gardening" by using sexual reproduction to create genetically diverse, climate-resilient corals. The goal is to establish a genetic bank of robust coral and transform reef recovery across the Western Indian Ocean.
Coral reefs are the backbone of Seychelles' "blue economy," supporting tourism, fisheries, and coastal protection. Climate-driven bleaching has severely threatened this ecosystem, putting food security, jobs, and the nation’s future prosperity at risk.
Since launching the world’s first $15 million “blue bond” in 2018, the island nation has expanded marine conservation across nearly 400,000 sq. km of ocean. Recent UNDP reports show progress, with over 1.5 hectares of reefs restored and another 3.5 hectares actively managed.
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