The new marine plan bans fishing around biodiversity hotspots, keeping them healthy and better able to resist climate change. The second new protected area is 134,000 sq km, centred on the main Seychelles island of Mahe. Together, the parks cover 15% of the Seychelles ocean and the government will double this by 2021, putting it far ahead of an international target of 10% by 2020. This has freed up $12m over the next 20 years to help implement the new marine plan. The Seychelles, which is 99% ocean, will have gone from 0.04% to 30% protected area in a few years if it does.

Source: The Guardian February 22, 2018 12:01 UTC