The Seychelles Fishing Landscape

With more than 1.4 million square kilometres of ocean territory, the Seychelles archipelago has some of the widest, and richest, fishing grounds in the world.

Whether you’re out to break a Seychelles fishing record, many of which rank at or near the top of the International Game Fishing Association’s record books, or even if you simply wish to enjoy a leisurely Seychelles fishing experience, this Indian Ocean archipelago offers both novice and expert fishermen alike a rich bounty of fish through a variety of exciting fishing techniques.

Cruising the Seychelles fishing grounds

Bottom-fishing, one of the traditional Seychelles fishing methods, is perhaps the simplest yet most intensely rewarding Seychelles fishing experience, and can land you a catch of spirited coral-reef fish such as grouper, job fish, snappers and emperors.

Alternatively, while cruising between islands, keep your eye on a long-line from our vessels’ back decks, to haul in a wide spectrum of game fish such as wahoo, sailfish, Dorado and tuna – perfect for one of our chefs to dice up the freshest sashimi you’ve ever tasted!

Meanwhile, casting your fly lines on the magnificent shallow flats of the Outer Islands will afford you the chance of landing several energetic silver bonefish to challenge the record books. Blue-water fly-fishing is also becoming increasingly popular, providing the ultimate challenge of landing large pelagic fish on relatively light tackle.

The Ultimate Seychelles Fishing Experience

To combine the romance of sail with the adventure of a thrilling fishing holiday, we also offer our sport fishing vessel Lansiv in conjunction with our cruising vessels. This 12M Rodman Walkaround Sportfisher delivers the speed and excitement of big game fishing as a complement to our leisurely cruising and sailing holidays. This ideal combination allows fishermen to test their skills against marlin, sailfish and other big catches by day, while still being able to spend a relaxing vacation throughout the islands with friends and family, who are instead keen on experiencing our island-hopping itineraries aboard our vessels.

The Lansiv opens up a world of possibilities for avid fishermen to reach some of the best Seychelles fishing hotspots around the inner islands, even to the edges of the Seychelles continental plateau, where the ocean floor plummets to 2,000 metres. The fishing in these areas is rich, from the eastern edge off La Digue, to the south of the isolated hideaway of Frégate Island, as well as all the way up to the northerly reaches of shelf, near Bird and Denis islands.

Lansiv can also turn a Seychelles fishing trip to the outer islands into an unforgettable experience, with these remote and virtually untouched atolls having some of the most plentiful and diverse fishing grounds anywhere in the world.

While you are free to fish in most areas of Seychelles’ waters at will, there are a few limitations which are often meant to help preserve Seychelles fishing stocks and the unique and fragile marine environment in which they live, so they can be enjoyed for years to come.
In the Inner Islands, fishing is prohibited within the boundaries of the Curieuse, Ile Cocos, Port Launay/Baie Ternay and Ste. Anne Marine National Parks. To ensure that the law is upheld, these areas are patrolled by park rangers. In addition, no fishing is permitted within 200 metres from Aride Island Nature Reserve beach.

There is also a total ban on the use of spear guns throughout Seychelles’ waters. Local customs officials will confiscate such items from anyone who carry them when entering Seychelles.

The practice of ‘tag and release’ (when a fish is caught and then released alive back into the water) has been widely adopted in order to safeguard fish stocks for future generations of fishermen. Silhouette Cruises greatly encourages tag and release on all of its Seychelles fishing trips, excursions and cruises (the exception, of course, being catches used for immediate consumption of guests and crew members on our overnight cruises). The beautiful natural environment in which our vessels operate is the backbone of our business, so all laws applying to the marine parks and nature reserves are strictly followed in order to sustain Seychelles fishing grounds for future generations.

Please contact us for more information about Seychelles fishing opportunities with Silhouette Cruises.