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:
First SAPPHIRE and third WIOSAP Project Steering Committee Meeting on 25 – 28 June 2019 in Durban, South Africa: this meeting will bring together the PSCs of both projects to evaluate progress and provide recommendations to guide project implementation.
Partnership Meeting on Oceanographic Research and Data Collection in the Western Indian Ocean Region on 12 June 2019 in Mombasa, Kenya: organizedunder the SAPPHIRE project, this meeting will bring together several institutions to discuss the status of oceanographic research and data collection in the WIO region.
News:
South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs Declares 20 Marine Protected Areas
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has officially declared the 20 network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on the 24th of May 2019. The network of MPAs will increase the spatial protection of South Africa’s ocean environment from the current 0.4% to 5.4%, provide at least some protection to 90% of habitat types, as well as contribute to global protection in line with South Africa’s commitment to the Convention on Biological Diversity……read more
Mauritius hosts Western Indian Ocean Regional Science to Policy workshop
A three day Western Indian Ocean Regional Science to Policy workshop was held from 27 May 2019 to 29 May 2019 at the Hotel Sofitel Mauritius in Flic en Flac by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Nairobi Convention in collaboration with the Ministry of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping…..read more
Penguins’ Behaviour Could Aid Fisheries Management
A rare closure of fisheries allowed researchers to study how penguins capture their prey. As the population of their prey decreased, penguins increased their foraging behavior. Study findings could aid fisheries management in Sub-Saharan Africa……Read the full-length paper
Kenya, Tanzania in Study to Protect Coral Reefs
Kenya and Tanzania are among eight countries in the Western Indian Ocean region that will benefit from a study assessing the vulnerability of coral reefs ecosystem. Marine park managers, lobbies and scientists from Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa and Tanzania have started a study that will evaluate the dangers coral reefs are facing……read more
Deep-ocean climate change impacts on habitat, fish and fisheries
This publication focuses on the impacts of climatic changes on demersal fisheries, and the interactions of these fisheries with other species and vulnerable marine ecosystems. Regional fisheries management organizations rely on scientific information to develop advice to managers……read more
An idea to save coral reefs from climate change takes a step forward
Bleaching is bad for coral. It happens when heat-stressed polyps, the sessile animals that construct coral reefs, eject the photosynthetic algae which usually reside within them. These algae are symbionts, providing nutrients to their hosts in return for shelter, so losing them is harmful to polyps and often results in their death. The higher temperatures brought about by global warming have therefore led to worries that more frequent episodes of bleaching might result in the loss of entire reefs…….read more
Vacancies
Southwest Regional Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Coordinator
Blue Ventures, Madagascar
Applicants should apply online: by 3 June 2019
Do you have an event or story you’d like included in the weekly round-up? Write [email protected] to be featured next week!
