The 13th WIOMSA Scientific Symposium, themed “One Ocean, One Future,” is happening soon. Registration is now officially open for the largest open scientific conference in the Western Indian Ocean. This event will connect people, policy, and science to collaboratively shape the future of our region’s ocean. All individuals planning to attend the symposium must register
The Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP) conducts training related to conservation activities as part of a special program aimed at providing conservation education in primary schools, secondary schools, and vocational Colleges. These ongoing training sessions have been provided to five primary schools, one secondary school, and one vocational college, all located within marine conservation areas.
Coral Garden Conservation (CGC) is a non-governmental organization with over a decade of experience in both terrestrial and marine conservation initiatives, including lagoon clean ups, mangrove planting, endemic tree reforestation, seagrass and coral conservation, and nature-based solutions against coastal erosion. Aligned with SDG 14, CGC established a Community-Based Voluntary Marine Conservation Area (VMCA) in 2020
Seaweed farming in the Mafia Island Marine Park (MPA) presents a promising opportunity to strengthen community livelihoods while supporting marine conservation goals. Located in a biodiversity-rich region, the MPA faces increasing pressure from climate change, overfishing, and pollution. Seaweed farming is a low impact, sustainable activity that contributes to ocean health and provides a critical
Organized by IUCN as part of the Regenerative Seascapes for People, Nature, and Climate (ReSea) programme, the WIOMPAN Tanzania Workshop took place on February 20–21, 2025, in Dar es Salaam and brought together WIOMPAN members and LMMA practitioners. The ReSea initiative, implemented by Mission Inclusion (Mi) and IUCN across five Western Indian Ocean countries, is
During the recent Regenerative Ocean Week, WIOMSA and IUCN supported by the Blue Nature Alliance, organised a stakeholder workshop on the Legal and Institutional Recognition of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) to address governance challenges that hinder LMMA recognition. For nearly two decades, LMMAs have played a pivotal role
From 5th to 7th March 2025, the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), with support from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme, hosted the LMMA Competency Framework workshop in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The workshop brought together participants from Madagascar, Mozambique, and Kenya to strengthen local marine conservation efforts through
In March 2025, a workshop was held to solidify a regional network of learning institutions aimed at supporting coastal community capacity building across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. Organized by WIOMSA, WRTI, and IUCN, in partnership with WWF and CORDIO East Africa, the workshop addressed long-standing capacity gaps that had limited coastal communities from
The Hifadhi Blu initiative has completed Stage 2 submissions, with 8 out of 29 applicants having submitted their applications for the next phase. These candidates represent a diverse range of marine conservation efforts across the region. Selected sites include two MPAs from South Africa, one from Tanzania, one from Kenya, one from Comoros, and one
Ocean and coastal ecosystems are seriously threatened and affected by human activities. Yet, the ocean plays a crucial role in climate regulation, and more than 3.8 billion people live within 150 km of the shore, all depending on these ecosystems for their livelihood and food security. Based on this observation, the BNP Paribas Foundation has
