During three intense days, staff from Tanzania mainland’s different MPA teams and
national level discussed how to stream-line the institutional structure, and
harmonise objectives and monitoring at different governance levels and sites.
Marine Parks and Reserves Unit-MPRU and the Swedish Agency for Marine and
Water Management (SwAM) co-hosted the workshop in Morogoro, Tanzania. SwAM
shared experiences from a governmental perspective that could be helpful to
improve the evidence-based decision making, while FOS Europe facilitated the
discussions.
A combined bottom-up and top-down perspective where ambitious international
commitments meet the pragmatic reality was one key message. “Effectiveness can
be achieved through co-designed national MPA strategies that are implemented via
aligned and more detailed general management plans at local level”, says MPA
specialist Jenny Hertzman from SwAM. Mr Paul Laiser from the Vice President’s
Office emphasized the good timing to improve the inclusion of marine biodiversity
into the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. In this way marine
biodiversity can be part of the national biodiversity ambitions.
The workshop enabled important discussions bridging the various governance
levels and increased understanding. The conclusion stated clear action points for
future collaboration like: Input from MPRU to the NBSAP compiled and shared with
the coordinator for NBSAP. SwAM will share experiences from data management
and ecological connectivity to MPRU. Hear some of the workshop insights in the
video linked here.
For further information, please email jenny.hertzman[a]havochvatten.se or
godfrey.ngupula[a]marineparks.go.tz
Visit www.havochvatten.se/swam-ocean godfrey.ngupula[a]marineparks.go.tz