Access & Benefit Sharing of genetic resources in Seychelles

1. Rolph Payet Victoria, Mahe Seychelles High Seas Meeting, Singapore 3-5 November2008 Access & Benefit Sharing of genetic resources in Seychelles

2. Small Islands-Large Territories • Land area - • Archipelagic State - 115 islands • EEZ equivalent in size to Southern Europe (France and Spain put together- check) • Extended Continental Shelf • High Seas North-West and West of Seychelles • Fish species • Coral Species • Tuna hub – high seas fishing

3. WIO EEZ

4. Ocean Policy Framework • Constitution • Maritime Act • EEZ Ac • Fisheries Act • Seabed Activities • EPA • NRC ( research) • EMPS • IOTC, Nairobi Convention, COI • ECS Joint Management Committee( JMC) Statutes

5. ABS in Seychelles • Over1,000 endemic species, high number of endemic frogs perkm2 in the world • Inventory& Screening Exercises (Ad-hoc bioprospecting) : colonial collections, CIO medicinal plants project, Venter Global Sea collection, • Research permits, • Fragmented legislation which control access • ABS/IPR – national priority – draft ABS Act • The Coco-de-Mer & Coco Channel • The sponge – search google patents ?????

8. Suggested approaches for ABS framework in the High Seas • IPR/ABS framework for the high seas – towards a generic approach; do we have one?????? • Ecological , Climatic, …Teleconnections & Transboundary issues • Governance mechanism involving proximate states • Joint management • Research cooperation • Share of royalties to proximate states

9. Thank you