In order to meet its obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Seychelles conducted a Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA) to quantitatively and comparatively determine the extent of local mercury pollution. Some findings from the Seychelles MIA and recommendations from the Seychelles mercury team can be found within this brochure. Click here to download the full brochure.

The Republic of Seychelles ratified the Minamata Convention on January 13th, 2015, less than a year after becoming a signatory of the treaty. The Seychelles is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) in the Indian Ocean that confronts many of the same environmental and human health issues as other SIDS. An issue of importance for the Seychelles is the safe disposal of mercury-containing products such as thermometers, batteries and light sources.

BRI’s Center for Mercury Studies is working closely with the GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, and the local GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme Coordination Unit (PCU) to assist the Seychelles with the country’s Minamata Initial Assessment. Specifically, BRI is collaborating with its partners in the Seychelles to implement UN Environment’s Mercury Inventory Toolkit that will help identify and estimate any major mercury sources on the Seychelles. This work will include identifying necessary intervention strategies, potential legislative gaps, and implementing a communication awareness campaign that will assist the country with its compliance with the Minamata Convention.

• Population: 93,000
• Surface Area: 457 square kilometers
• Capital City: Victoria
• Official Languages: French, English, Creole
• Fish Production: 2,596 metric tons (2010)
• UN Membership Date: 21 September 1976
• Minamata Convention on Mercury Signature Date: May 27, 2014

The Republic of Seychelles is a 115-island archipelago situated 1,500 kilometers east of mainland Africa. Its area is about two-and-a-half times the size of Washington, D.C.

Photo 1: Shown during the November 19, 2015, Seychelles First Seafood Quality Workshop are (l-r) Cliff Gonzalves, Mercury Consultant; Molly Taylor, BRI International Partnership Coordinator; David Evers, BRI Executive Director; Janette Dewea, Customs Manager; and Annike Faure, Programme Coordination Unit Project Manager for Mercury, all participants in the Minamata Initial Assessment Toolkit training workshop
Photo 2: BRI’s Executive Director, David Evers, presents at the Minamata Initial Assessment Validation Meeting, held on September 20, 2016 in the Seychelles.
Photo 3: Fish market in the Seychelles.