Nairobi Convention Marine and Coastal News Round-up (8 March 2021)

Welcome, Nairobi Convention Member States, partners, and friends, to this issue of the Weekly News Round-up!

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It’s International Women’s Day, and in today’s roundup, we share a webinar by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development that will focus on the positive impacts of empowering women in ocean science, highlight good practices and principles to help advance gender equity on March 8, 2021, at 16:00-17:15 CET. In the same breath, we share an article that provides nuanced insight at rethinking – how gendered-power dynamics constrain and enable choices and opportunities for addressing gender inequality in small-scale fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean region. Don’t miss the report on the indispensable role of women in sustainable ocean governance as well!
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Have you registered to attend the virtual Nairobi Convention 2021 Western Indian Ocean Regional Science to Policy Dialogue? The registration deadline is drawing nearer and nearer. You do not want to miss it; there are 10 days left for you to register. The theme this year is ‘Transitioning to a Sustainable Blue Economy in the WIO region: Addressing the challenges and harnessing opportunities’.
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For these articles and more -including UNEP/ICRI small scale grants opportunities for projects that aim to protect and restore marine ecosystems- keep reading the roundup.

Do you have any events, research, or scientific publications on the Western Indian Ocean that you would like to be included in the round-up? Write to [email protected]!

Making waves for ocean science: Empowering Women Leaders in the Ocean Decade – Special Event in Celebration of International Women’s Day♀️

The 2nd Global Ocean Science Report (GOSR2020) revealed that women in ocean science continue to be underrepresented, particularly in the highly technical and decision-making categories. Women represent about 7% to 72% of all ocean science personnel (i.e. researchers, technicians, and supporting staff) depending on the country, with the global average at 37%.
Building on UNESCO’s efforts to advance gender equity and previous related discussions held as part of the Ocean Decade Virtual Series, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, jointly with L’Oréal Canada and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, will host a virtual event titled “Making waves for ocean science: Empowering Women Leaders in the Ocean Decade” (March 8, 2021 at 16:00-17:15 CET).

10 DAYS to Registration Deadline: The Nairobi Convention 2021 Western Indian Ocean Regional Science to Policy Dialogue

The Nairobi Convention, in collaboration with the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), is convening the 2021 Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Regional Science to Policy Dialogue. The theme of the meeting will be: ‘Transitioning to a Sustainable Blue Economy in the WIO region: Addressing the challenges and harnessing opportunities’ It will be a virtual Microsoft Teams meeting held over three days from 23 – 25 March 2021 from 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m East Africa Time (EAT) every day.

Kindly confirm your participation in the meeting by registering through the link below, before 19 March 2021.

Noise Pollution in Our Oceans: Can we turn down the volume for marine life?

Shipping noises interrupt sea creatures in multiple ways, including disruption of their traveling, foraging, socializing, communicating, resting, learning to avoid predators, and more. Other sounds that penetrate the ocean’s waters can include: traffic on bridges and airplanes flying at low altitude, construction and operation of oil and gas infrastructure, technology that scrapes or dredges the bottom of the ocean, and explosions of mines, missiles, and bombs during naval warfare or military exercises.

Studies clearly show that noise pollution compromises hearing ability, induces physiological changes, causes evasive actions and displaces marine animals.

The Indispensable Role of Women in Sustainable Ocean Governance

Women are playing critical roles in ocean governance across the WIO region. In Madagascar for example, women are members of locally managed marine areas (LMMAs), where more than 50 per cent serve as leaders. At the Baraka Makongeni fish farm in coastal Kenya, women oversee mangrove nurseries and manage small ponds to sustainably harvest fish. In Zanzibar, Tanzania, approximately 15,000 women farm seaweed, harvesting about 11,000 tons per year.

Women also significantly influence decision making processes and ocean governance in different sectors, from academia to business to civil society. Whether it is becoming the first woman to take charge of a South African naval ship; being the first female marine pilot in Kenya; serving as heads of State departments; or performing ground-breaking scientific research, it is clear that women are trailblazing in the frontiers of ocean governance.

Associations such as the Women in the Maritime Sector in Eastern and Southern Africa (WOMESA), supported by the African Union among others, are molding women to become sea cadets, lead port operations, captains of ships, expand their roles in shipping, fishing and other sectors of the marine industry.

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Climate Change Threatens the Western Indian Ocean’s Rich Coral Reefs

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) along the African coastline has the second largest coral presence and diversity after the Coral Triangle. About 369 coral species have been named in this region, with the maximum concentration occurring in the northern Mozambique Channel, particularly near Nacala. Frequent intense heating spells in the Indian Ocean as well as intensive reef fisheries and coastal development comprise a growing list of factors threatening the survival of corals in the Western Indian Ocean.
With climate change contributing to record high ocean temperatures in recent years, marine heatwaves are set to increase tremendously, resulting in shorter intervals between mass coral bleaching events.

UNEP/ICRI small-scale grants programme

UNEP and ICRI are jointly launching a small grants programme to support the conservation and restoration of coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass. This joint initiative builds on the success of the first small grants programme from 2017.
Grants will be awarded to projects aimed at protecting and restoring coastal marine ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on payment for ecosystem services, ecosystem restoration, blue carbon, marine protected areas, locally managed marine areas and action on UNEP’s strategic pillars climate stability, living in harmony with nature and a pollution-free planet.
Grants are available to governments, NGOs and community groups, for projects implemented in developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing states. Proposals that implement UNEP guidelines and best practices will be view favorably. Applications close on 31 March 2021.

Coral reef ecosystems and the CBD Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

In May 2020, ICRI members adopted a Recommendation for the inclusion of coral reefs within the CBD Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the result of 18 months of work by the ad hoc committee to contribute to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework development process on matters relating to the critical status of coral reefs and how this ecosystem can be sufficiently addressed within the post-2020 framework. This Recommendation comes from the very real need to safeguard coral reef ecosystems of the world from potential collapse.

The Recommendation includes a set of clear indicators that measure the health, integrity and function of coral reefs including live coral cover, coral reef extent, fish abundance, and coral reefs that are under some form of area-based management. Through the Recommendation, CBD Parties are strongly encouraged to prioritise coral reefs by including clear, specific and actionable indicators in the Global Biodiversity Framework, which will inform interventions aimed at improving reef integrity, quality and function.

Towards a better understanding of gendered power in small scale fisheries of the Western Indian Ocean

While there are many studies on the context and politics of gender and fisheries, understanding how power influences gender equality remains understudied, especially in the Western Indian Ocean. Based on evidence gathered from an interdisciplinary set of literature, including sectoral policies, this article provides nuanced insight at rethinking – how gendered-power dynamics constrain and enable choices and opportunities for addressing gender inequality in small-scale fisheries.
Compelling evidence shows that a gendered-power dynamic is crucial for renegotiating gender equality with social norms and politics, including challenging simplistic views on poverty, vulnerability, and subordination of women. The article presents a latent chance for greater reflexivity among development practitioners, researchers, and policymakers on the politics of and transformation towards gender equality in small-scale fisheries.

Blue carbon: how three Australian marine sites lock away 2bn tonnes of CO2

Three of Australia’s world heritage-listed marine sites have more than 2bn tonnes of carbon dioxide locked away in their vast seagrass meadows, coastal mangroves and tidal marshes, according to a new report from a UN agency.
Unesco has for the first time calculated all the so-called “blue carbon” stored across its 50 world heritage marine sites and finds they contain about 5bn tonnes of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
The three Australian sites – the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, and Shark Bay and the Ningaloo coast in Western Australia – have almost 40% of the blue carbon stored across all world heritage sites, according to data in the report.

Register for the 2021 Nairobi Convention and WIOMSA Science to Policy Dialogue

Don’t miss out on the 2021 Science to Policy Dialogue convened by the Nairobi Convention in collaboration with the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)

Register now!

Author: A.P.

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