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The Seychelles' state-owned Island Development Corporation (IDC) recently announced that its shrimp farming project on Coetivy Island is progressing well and is expected to produce two types of shrimp in large quantities this year: Penaeus vannamei and Black Tiger Prawn (Penaeus monodon). Christian Lionnet, deputy chief executive officer of IDC, claimed that after efforts to build the hatchery, IDC plans to start producing Penaeus monodon on Coetivy Island in June and expects to be on the market in October or November. At the same time, they have set up processing facilities on the island to improve the processing of shrimp, which means that the quality of shrimp products is expected to increase significantly this year.
Seychelles is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, near the eastern part of the African continent. It consists of 115 islands scattered about 1,500 kilometers northeast of Madagascar. Seychelles is a quintessential tropical archipelago country known for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs, nature reserves, and rare flora and fauna. The capital, Victoria, is located on the island of Mahe and is the political and economic center of the country.
Last year, IDC successfully brought the first batch of Penaeus vannamei shrimp to market in April, and in this year's farming, the shrimp are growing faster than expected.
This IDC development not only shows the progress of the Seychelles aquaculture industry, but also indicates that the local market will soon be able to enjoy high-quality whiteleg and monodon shrimp produced domestically. Progress in farming has been made possible by the renovation of the existing ponds and the adaptation of new systems, overcoming the challenges encountered in the construction of the hatchery and the introduction of processing equipment last year.
IDC CEO Glenny S**y acknowledged that despite challenges in the implementation of the project, such as delays from equipment vendors, they have resolved the problem and set up a processing facility on Coetivy Island. IDC expects that this year's shrimp production will meet most of the annual consumption of the Seychelles population and will be cheaper than imported shrimp.
Lionnet added that IDC will continue to work on improving shrimp production and quality, while the hatchery on Coetivy Island will also be completed later this year, reducing the need to transport juvenile shrimp from Singapore, which would be a more environmentally friendly approach. With the operation of eight ponds for the cultivation of white shrimp and the imminent introduction of black tiger prawns, IDC's aquaculture project will be further expanded, bringing a positive impact to the aquaculture industry in Seychelles.