Welcome, Nairobi Convention Member States, partners, and friends, to this installment of the Weekly News Round-up! Please keep reading to find out what’s new in efforts to protect, conserve and develop the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region.
We look forward to continuing our work with you to create a prosperous WIO region with healthy rivers, coasts, and oceans.
Upcoming Events:
- The Nairobi Convention and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) are holding a training on Marine Spatial Planning for Somalia government representatives from 11-13 November in Seychelles. The workshop will introduce participants to the advantages of spatial planning; share WIO experiences on MSP; and discuss the need for and plans for river basin management in the Juba-Shebelle region.
- The Nairobi Convention, in executing the WIOSAP project, is organizing a workshop for managers and policy-makers on Mainstreaming of Environmental Flows into Integrated Water Resources Management to be held on 25 – 27 November 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa.
- In executing the SAPPHIRE project, the Nairobi Convention will be hosting the Leadership Renewal Workshop for Senior Officials and Policy Makers (Women) in Marine Policy and Ocean Governance in the WIO Region in Mombasa, Kenya from 4-6 December. The leadership renewal workshop seeks to promote the empowerment, active participation, and networking among officials, women marine scientists and experts in charge of policy formulation, decision-making and implementation of policies and programmes on coastal and marine ecosystem management and ocean governance.
News:
Outcomes of Gear and Closure Subsidies in Artisanal Coral Reef Fisheries
The outcomes of subsidizing natural and fishing capital were studied in nearshore coral reef fisheries initiated by the devolution of governance and management from national to county governments in Kenya. One county promoted a net subsidy program of preferred mesh sizes with a distinct purchase and distribution date, while the other supported the ongoing maintenance of fisheries closures. Significant time × treatment interactions in all indicators support the conclusion that gear subsidies, apart from larger fish sizes, worsened the fisheries, while closures improved it. Increased recruitment rather than growth of fish appeared to be the mechanism for improvement………….read more
Protecting seas and coasts in Africa
Designating an International Maritime Organization (IMO) Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) is a recognition that the identified area may be vulnerable to potential impacts of international shipping. In a PSSA, associated protective measures can be proposed and adopted, such as ship routing systems, for example, areas to be avoided by ships or no-anchoring areas. But first, the area needs to be identified. A sub-regional workshop in Nosy-Be, Madagascar (5 -7 November) helped participants from Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania, to identify potential marine areas that could be designated as PSSAs…………read more
The latest issue of the WIOMSA Newsbrief
Read the latest issue of the WIOMSA Newsbrief which features articles on various marine litter initiatives in the region, the development of the Western Indian Ocean Governance Strategy, news from the cities and coasts and MARG project grantees, meetings and workshops that have taken place in the region, the release of WIO Journal of Marine Science Volume 18 Issue No 1, the 2018 Annual report and much more…..read more
Estimating the Economic Benefits and Costs of Highly Protected Marine Protected Areas
Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an increasingly popular, but debated, management strategy to conserve marine biodiversity and ensure sustainable human use of the oceans. Economic studies can contribute to the debate about MPAs as a management option by evaluating their benefits and costs to society. Analytical choices will influence the identified economic costs and benefits of MPAs. For example, the spatial extent of analyses will influence what changes in underlying ecological processes are captured and conclusions about the equitable distribution of costs and benefits across society. For these reasons, it is important that managers are aware of the challenges and opportunities described here, so that they can obtain and use the best‐quality economic information to guide decision making about MPAs……………..read more
New African Expeditions Released for Coral Geographer Cruise Ship
Zanzibar, Madagascar, and the Cocos and Christmas Islands will feature in three new itineraries on Coral Expeditions’ Coral Geographer. These itineraries will mark the first time the cruise line has visited this region. The collection of Indian Ocean expeditions will take place in February, March and April 2021 during the new ship’s maiden season. Historians, anthropologists, destination experts and guides will be onboard to lead immersive activities and excursions featuring the fascinating histories, flora and fauna of these islands……..read more
Call for Registration: 6th International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium: Healthy Reef, Wealthy Ocean
The upcoming 6th International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium (ITMEMS 6) will be held in Manado, (Indonesia) between the 14th-17th of April 2020 under the theme ‘Healthy Reef, Wealthy Ocean’. The objective of this symposium is to explore approaches in sustainable coral reef management and their related ecosystems. The organizers are currently developing the programme and welcome your suggestions on topics you would like to see included in this symposium. Registration is now open and interested participants are requested to complete the online participants questionnaire by 15th November to be considered…….click here for more details and registration link
Do you have an event or story you’d like included in the weekly round-up? Write [email protected] to be featured next week!
