The feasibility study, which the team started in September, is programmed to end by December when, dependent on its findings, it will lead to EU financing of the tagging program for a period of at least four years.
At a press conference held on Wednesday October 9, at the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) headquarters, the three researchers - comprising fisheries biologists Neil Ansell and Dr Jose Cort, also a tuna tagging expert, and led by economist Dr Colin Barnes - told local newspapers that the purpose of the proposed Western Indian Ocean tagging program was to make available to marine biologists extensive information on the growth, migration and other associated aspects of tuna stocks.
They said that despite a number of studies on tuna tagging having been carried out in various parts of the world on preliminary or pilot basis and with varying degrees of success in the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, full information on stocks, seasonality and movement of tuna was largely lacking.
If the study finds the project feasible, its results would help Seychelles and other member states of the Indian Ocean Commission, which includes Comoros, Reunion, Madagascar and Mauritius as well as other Indian Ocean coastal states to manage the sustainable exploitation of tuna and associated species into the future, thus contributing to the economic development of those countries, they explained.
The group is working in collaboration with the stakeholders in each of the IOC member states which, in the local context, include the SFA and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).
The team said that the tagging program which they had been designing would use different fishing options to catch fish which they would measure and take scientific information about, tag and release them to be recaptured and measured again, adding that the data thus obtained would be entered into a computer modal program that will give information on growth and migration of the fish.
The three scientists, who arrived in The Seychelles on Saturday October 5, from Mauritius where they carried out a similar exercise for one week, will remain in the country until tomorrow when they leave for Reunion, Madagascar and the Comoros.
They plan to present to the stakeholders the findings of their feasibility study in Mauritius in December.
The fisheries sector is arguably the most important of the Seychelles' economy, contributing over 10 per cent of gross domestic product.
Within Seychelles fisheries, tuna is the most important economic species, contributing to export revenues, port and transshipment fees, employment and associated activities such as canning and fish processing.