Odysseo Foundation: protecting marine ecosystems
“How can we better love and protect the ocean?” This question lies at the heart of the official launch of the Odysseo Foundation on September 12. Since its establishment three years ago, Odysseo, Mauritius’s oceanarium, has become a key player in raising awareness about marine ecosystems and their preservation through innovative initiatives. To go even further, the Odysseo Foundation has been created as a dedicated structure to strengthen this mission by mobilizing a team of specialists and launching impactful projects at both local and regional levels.
Chaired by Caroline Rault, Chief Sustainability Officer of Eclosia, and led by Bernardo Nascimento, Curator and Head of Education at Odysseo, the Odysseo Foundation focuses on projects related to preservation, conservation, restoration, protection, scientific research, and education, all aimed at safeguarding marine ecosystems. “With the Odysseo Foundation, we want to take the mission of education and conservation, which has always been part of the aquarium’s DNA, even further,” says Caroline Rault. She adds that the foundation will be a crucial tool in fostering synergies and building strong partnerships with others who share this vision.
As part of the Blue Carbon Ecosystems Restoration Project, under the Varuna program implemented by Expertise France and funded by the French Development Agency, the Odysseo Foundation partners with the initiative to provide management support and technical assistance to stakeholders. This project involves planting 10,000 mangrove seedlings and creating the first seagrass nursery in the Indian Ocean. Through international collaborations, such as those with National Geographic and Project Seahorse, Odysseo has already made fascinating discoveries, including the identification of a rare seahorse species in Mauritian waters, last seen in the 1990s.
Another significant initiative is the Cordap Project, aimed at coral reef restoration. The Odysseo Foundation will host a dedicated space for coral sexual reproduction in the Indian Ocean. In parallel, an expedition to St. Brandon, in partnership with the St Brandon Conservation Trust, will be conducted to assess the local ecosystem and identify necessary protection measures.
Cédric de Spéville, CEO of the Eclosia Group, highlighted the family legacy that inspired the creation of the aquarium and now the foundation. “This platform, this place for exchange and sharing, is perfectly aligned with the ‘house of the sea’ envisioned by my father 30 years ago,” he shared. For him, the Odysseo Foundation represents an invaluable asset for Mauritius and a means of uniting and mobilizing efforts around ocean protection.
With goals such as certifying St. Brandon as an ecological “hotspot” and establishing a Blue Economy Hub, the Odysseo Foundation aims to become a leading player in the preservation of island and marine ecosystems. As Caroline Rault aptly states, “The ocean and humanity are one, and their destinies are intertwined.”