Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP) is dedicated to conserving marine habitats, including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, seaweed, and beaches. The park operates as a co-managed Marine Protected Area (MPA) in collaboration with local communities. Each village within the park’s boundaries has a Village Liaison Committee (VLC) and a Village Enforcement Unit (VEU) that serve as links between the marine park and the villages.
These committees are actively involved in joint patrols, meetings, planning sessions, and demarcation activities. To ensure sustainable resource management and minimize conflicts, the local community participates in the demarcation process, particularly within the park’s zonation areas designated for different uses.
On May 26-27, 2024, an activity was conducted to install buoys within Chole Bay’s specified use zone. We successfully replaced five demarcation buoys, thanks to the support of the WWF through the BAF Project. Representatives from five local communities, five MIMP staff members, and other government agencies participated fully in the buoy installation.
We extend our gratitude to WWF and the BAF Project for their support. We also call upon other stakeholders to support us in various sectors, including community awareness on conservation, livelihood and income-generating activities, Monitoring, Surveillance & Control (MCS), research and monitoring, and equipment support. This includes building staff houses and purchasing patrol boats to strengthen our outpost camp and local community efforts.