2012
The recent findings of oil and gas in the South Western Indian Ocean (SWIO) region are resulting in a new and unexpected economic dynamic in this part of the Africa continent. Although not a totally new feature, sporadic exploration having taken place for several decades, the recent developments have been made possible by advances in drilling technology and made more urgent by rising oil prices and problems of accessing traditional sources of supply due to current conflicts in the Middle East.
The RAM Legacy Stock Assessment Database is a compilation of stock assessment results for commercially exploited marine populations from around the world. It is inspired by Dr. Ransom A.
During the focal points meeting of the Nairobi Convention held in August 2012, in Maputo, Mozambique, the contracting parties adopted an outline to be used in the preparation of the World Oceans Assessment report. The meeting also agreed that the adopted outline will also serve as the outline for the Regional State of the Coast report for the Nairobi Convention.
The Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems (ASCLME) is one of the 66 identified Large Marine Ecosystems of the world. The countries of the ASCLME region benefit from the goods and services supported by the ASCLME. Coastal and marine ecosystem goods and services play a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of the people and national economies that use this ecosystem. Yet, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) reports that these ecosystems are deteriorating worldwide, and with them the capacity to support human well-being.
Given the importance of the marine ecosystem, the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) countries with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) participated in the implementation of the Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ASCLME) project. This project involved generation of data and information that can be used for the protection and sustainable management of coastal and marine resources of the WIO sub region.
Many marine reef fish species have two distinct life stages: a larval pelagic stage lasting a few weeks followed by a benthic stage after recruitment (Dufour, 1992; Shima, 2001; McCormick et al., 2002; Lecchini & Galzin, 2003; Irisson et al., 2004). Larvae dispersal is a vital process for species evolution, genetic mixing and overall adaptation of reef fish populations (Caley et al., 1996; Shulman, 1998; Planes, 2002).
The Kenya National Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis (MEDA) was prepared by coastal and marine experts in Kenya. The MEDA presents essential data and information relating to the dynamic biophysical and socio-economic processes in Kenya that define the Large Marine Ecosystem (LME). It also identifies areas of concern that will feed into the Transboundary Diagnostic Analyses (TDA) and the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Agulhas and Somali Current LME.
The ASCLME Project is approaching the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and Strategic Action Plan process initially at the country level through a national Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis (MEDA) The MEDA captures essential data and information relating to the coastal and marine environment and identifies areas of concern that will feed into the Transboundary Diagnostic Analyses (TDAs) and the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Western Indian Ocean.
The Republic of Mauritius consists of the main island of Mauritius and several outlying islands namely, Rodrigues, Agalega, St. Brandon, Tromelin and Chagos Archipelago. The total land area of Mauritius is 2040 km2 the while the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is about 2 million km2. Mauritius has at different periods been a colony of the Dutch, French and British. Effective Dutch Colonisation of the island started in 1598 and ended in 1710.
Mozambique is located in the South-Eastern part of the African Continent, between latitudes 10°27’S and 26°52’S and longitudes 30º 12’E and 40º 51’E. The country has a total surface area of 784,032 km2 subdivided into 10 provinces. The country possesses the third longest coastline in the Indian Ocean covering a total distance of 2700 km. Total continental shelf area is about 104,300 km2 . The current population is slightly more than 20 million people with a growth rate of 2.5% per annum.
