The Northern Mozambique Channel
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The northern half of the Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) extends northwards from the narrowest part of the channel between Madagascar and Mozambique, at about 17°S (Fig. 4.1). The Aldabra group of islands lies just to the north, at about 9°S, but the precise northern limit is not clear and is operationally set to include Mafia Island in central Tanzania at about 7°S. It is bounded by northwest Madagascar, northern Mozambique, and southern Tanzania, with the Comoro archipelago at its heart. The NMC is entirely covered by the exclusive economic zones of the countries in the region—Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania, Comoros, Seychelles, and France. The total marine area is estimated at about 700,000 km2.
To date a relatively poorly known part of the world ocean, the NMC is relatively unimpacted (Halpern, Walbridge, Selkoe, & Kappel, 2008), and is designated as an ecologically or biologically significant area (CBD, 2012). This chapter presents the current status and trends of the principal marine habitats and resources of the NMC, and outlines pressures and management challenges faced in the region. It concludes with key opportunities and approaches to improve management of ocean resource use. It complements other articles on management and governance in the NMC (Obura, 2018; Obura et al., 2017), and with them addresses broader policy approaches in the Western Indian Ocean focused on supporting sustainable ocean-based development (ASCLME/UNDP, 2012; Obura et al., 2017; UNEP/Nairobi Convention Secretariat, 2009; UNEP-Nairobi Convention and WIOMSA, 2015; Unger et al., 2017). Overall, the goal is to foster the development of Integrated Ocean Governance approaches to development (Stojanovic & Farmer, 2013; Van Tatenhove, 2011) in the NMC,
as a foundation for future prosperity.The northern half of the Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) extends northwards from the narrowest part of the channel
between Madagascar and Mozambique, at about 17°S (Fig.4.1). The Aldabra group of islands lies just to the north, at about
9°S, but the precise northern limit is not clear and is operationally set to include Mafia Island in central Tanzania at about
7°S. It is bounded by northwest Madagascar, northern Mozambique, and southern Tanzania, with the Comoro archipelago
at its heart. The NMC is entirely covered by the exclusive economic zones of the countries in the region—Mozambique,
Madagascar, Tanzania, Comoros, Seychelles, and France. The total marine area is estimated at about 700,000 km2.
To date a relatively poorly known part of the world ocean, the NMC is relatively unimpacted (Halpern, Walbridge,
Selkoe, & Kappel, 2008), and is designated as an ecologically or biologically significant area (CBD, 2012). This chapter
presents the current status and trends of the principal marine habitats and resources of the NMC, and outlines pressures and
management challenges faced in the region. It concludes with key opportunities and approaches to improve management of
ocean resource use. It complements other articles on management and governance in the NMC (Obura, 2018; Obura etal.,
2017), and with them addresses broader policy approaches in the Western Indian Ocean focused on supporting sustain-
able ocean-based development (ASCLME/UNDP, 2012; Obura etal., 2017; UNEP/Nairobi Convention Secretariat, 2009;
UNEP-Nairobi Convention and WIOMSA, 2015; Unger etal., 2017). Overall, the goal is to foster the development of
Integrated Ocean Governance approaches to development (Stojanovic & Farmer, 2013; Van Tatenhove, 2011) in the NMC,
as a foundation for future prosperity.
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