The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, encompassing the Northern Mozambique Channel- NMC, is rich in marine biodiversity and crucial to the livelihoods of about 10 million people. However, the region faces challenges from illegal fishing, offshore oil and gas exploration, and environmental degradation. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS)…
Protecting the Marine Environment from Land-Based Pollution in Tanzania The Nairobi Convention, through the ACP MEAs 3 programme, is supporting the Vice President’s Office (VPO), Tanzania in developing a National Source Inventory report on plastic pollution. This report will inform the development of a national marine litter management strategy and action plan to reduce plastic…
Read about efforts being made in coastal villages in Tanzania’s Mkinga District, as the community integrates into the co-management of their coastal and marine resources. It is taking the collaborative efforts between government bodies, international organizations, and local stakeholders to preserve biodiversity, establish sustainable livelihoods, and mitigate climate change challenges through marine spatial planning, habitat…
The first project steering committee (PSC) meeting for the Integrated Management of the Marine and Coastal Resources of the Northern Mozambique Channel (NOCAMO) Project was convened on December 6, 2023. The PSC was convened to review and approve the project’s progress and expenditure. Additionally, it sought to review and approve the project’s annual work plan…
Capacity development in Marine Spatial Planning Tools and Information Management in the Western Indian Ocean Region The workshop’s objectives are to raise awareness of the regional Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) strategy for the Western Indian Ocean, promote harmonization of MSP processes among different government levels, enhance national capacities for information and data management in support…
Webinar Series on Marine Spatial Planning The Nairobi Convention and SwAM- the Swedish Agency of Marine and Water Management, are hosting a webinar series on marine spatial planning in the first quarter of 2023. “We are expecting around 40 participants from six countries in East Africa’s Western Indian Ocean region”, says Ida Lindbergh, analyst at…
WIO Symphony for a Sustainable Western Indian Ocean The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is a region of immense ecological diversity that is home to a range of ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves. These ecosystems provide vital services, such as food and protection from natural disasters, to over 60 million people in the…
Through Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and a Regional Information Management Strategy (IMS) Our oceans and seas are the planet’s largest ecosystem. As such, they play a huge role in influencing climates and are vital to our blue economies. As such, we should be obligated to use ocean and sea resources sustainably, for future generations. The…
The Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Scientific Symposium is the largest open scientific conference focused on the marine and coastal environment in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). It is a unique, regionwide, and global platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, capacity development, strategic action, and cooperation. The 12th edition of the WIOMSA Scientific Symposium…
Launch of the WIO Symphony Tool The WIO region’s ocean assets are of high value but are under immense pressure from unsustainable exploitation. Better marine spatial planning (MSP) is therefore dire, in order to meet local and global demands on the limited ocean resources and secure the assets for continued economic and social benefits for…