‘Our Ocean Cousins’ – SUBIOS 2007
11th May 2006 |
‘Our Ocean Cousins’ has been selected as the new theme for 2007 when the Sub Indian Ocean Seychelles (SUBIOS) Underwater Film and Image Festival will showcase cetaceans (whales, dolphins and dugongs) across a wide range of activities during the week-long celebration of Seychelles’ extraordinary underwater world.
Highlighting, since 17 years, the treasures of our ocean and the wonderful and varied ecosystems that it sustains, SUBIOS has played an important role in encouraging growth in our local diving industry, both in terms of the new facilities it continues to offer and in the number of tourists it attracts. SUBIOS has also introduced the many treasures of our underwater world to successive generations of schoolchildren, visitors and members of the general public with entertaining and informative presentations, film shows, displays, boat trips and introductory dives.
The cetacean theme for 2007 is particularly appropriate for a nation such as
Seychelles
surrounded, as it is, by an ocean where some 28 species of whale and dolphin have been observed living in peace – and safety. It is hoped that in the same way that previous SUBIOS festivals have drawn attention to the plight of turtles and sharks and, in particular, to such practices as shark-fining that threatens their survival, that SUBIOS 2007 will inspire us all to act as responsible guardians of our wonderful marine heritage and as champions of the welfare of ‘our ocean cousins.’
With these objectives in mind, it is with great pride that
Seychelles
, in conjunction with the Zoological Society of Paris, is already investigating the possibility of creating a Seychelles Observatory of Marine Mammals. The images, data and sound recordings captured by this observatory and its other diverse, scientific activities, will place at the nation’s disposal an invaluable tool for acquiring in depth knowledge of those species of cetacean frequenting our waters. They will allow us not only to better manage
Seychelles
’ unique marine heritage but also to develop sustainable models for the utilization of our marine resources, at the same time enabling Seychellois students to receive scientific and technical instruction. Furthermore, this exciting project will permit us, in turn, to pass on invaluable date to the International Whaling Commission as well as to UNESCO concerning the status of our World Heritage Site, Aldabra. Other beneficiaries will be various international conservation bodies (IWC, IUCN, CITES, CMS, etc) concerning threats to cetacean populations in
Seychelles
’ waters.
We look forward to a future in which
Seychelles
continues to join with other responsible nations in exercising a positive influence upon its marine environment and in safeguarding the survival of the ocean and its inhabitants for future generations.
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