The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) marine and coastal ecosystems, biodiversity and resources are under pressure from anthropogenic activities such as coastal development, overfishing, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, degradation of critical coastal habitats, sand mining, dredging and pollution from land-based sources and activities. These challenges are compounded by climate change and a rapidly increasing coastal population, combined with a lack of effective resource management strategies, poverty and inequality.

Maintaining and restoring the WIO ecosystems and fishery resources requires the implementation of an ecosystem approach to ocean governance and sustainable blue economy, with strong coordination between fisheries and environmental management and policy, simultaneously between regional bodies, between national agencies and ministries, and at the community level. Countries in the WIO region have therefore committed to cooperate towards a healthy Western Indian Ocean supporting a vibrant blue economy.