Governance Analysis of St Anne Marine National Park, Seychelles

The aim of this paper is to explore the governance effectiveness of St Anne Marine National Park, Seychelles. By collecting qualitative data through interviews and ethnographic observations from different constituencies in May and June 2018, the Marine Protected Area Governance (MPAG) analysis framework was applied. This case study revealed that the site is governed by a parastatal organisation (SNPA) and its Board through a largely ineffective top-down, government-led approach. The primary threats to the success of the park that fall within the purview of MPA (marine protected area) governance, are poaching, coastal development and unsustainable tourism, with a clear lack of state capacity, political will and capacity for enforcement as the key drivers undermining equitable and effective governance. Additionally, the study revealed a lack of community involvement in decision-making processes, resulting in a lack of sufficient participation and knowledge incentives, which reflects the need for the inclusion of more bottom-up governance approaches. This study contributes to the broader conceptual framework by supporting the understanding that a combination of governance approaches are needed to achieve MPA objectives and resilience. The governance structure coupled with the identified conflicts and many additional driving forces and constraints discussed throughout, are obstructing the achievement of strategic MPA objectives and severely undermining effectiveness. Suggestions for improvement are therefore explored as significant governance modifications are clearly needed. Since the completion of this research, significant advances have been made to the governance of SAMNP and where relevant these have been noted briefly throughout the paper.

Automated summary

The study highlights the ineffective top-down governance approach in St Anne Marine National Park, with threats such as poaching, coastal development, and unsustainable tourism. It points out the lack of government capacity and political will, as well as inadequate community involvement, hindering effective governance. The need for a combination of governance approaches and significant modifications to improve governance effectiveness is emphasized.