Protocol for Implementation of Ecosystem-based Adaptation Interventions in Coastal Wetlands of the Seychelles

The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 small islands, lie in the west of the Indian Ocean. It has a large exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 1.34 million km2. Most islands are uninhabited, with most of the population living on the three main islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. The tropical climate is influenced by alternating monsoon seasons dominated by prevailing winds. The relatively calmer, warmer and wetter northwest monsoon prevails from November to March while the stronger, cooler and drier southeast trade winds prevail from May to October. The population is estimated at 95,000, with life expectancy of 74.8 years (NBS, 2017). The Human Development Index is relatively high (HDI: 0.797). In 2015, the Seychelles was classified as a high-income country, with a per capita GDP of US$ 15,076 in 2016 (OECD, 2017). The economy is dependent on tourism and tuna fisheries, hence the people remain highly dependent on the biodiversity and resources that support and underpin the country’s economy.