In a ground-breaking event that marked the first physical meeting of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Protected Area Practitioners Network (WIOMPAN) Kenya Chapter, 29 passionate conservationists from the five coastal counties of Kenya came together in Mombasa on June 7th, 2023. Joined by an additional 12 virtual participants, and led by Willys Osore, the Warden
Tima Dago, a passionate conservationist from the southern coast of Kenya, shares her inspiring journey in marine conservation. Growing up in a coastal village, she developed a deep love for the ocean and its marine environment. Tima’s childhood experiences, including unsustainable fishing practices, fueled her determination to protect marine biodiversity. After joining the Kenya Wildlife
Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU) in collaboration with Plongeurs du Monde facilitated the training of eight Marine Conservation Wardens from MPRU’s four Marine Parks and Reserves centers namely; DMRs – Dar es Salaam Marine Reserves System, MBREMP – Mnazi Bay – Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park, TACMP- Tanga Coelacanth Marine Park and MIMP- Mafia Island
Subtitle: Deidre de Vos has joined WIOMSA as the MPA Project Coordinator under the Blue Action Fund project for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). WIOMSA is working on a three-year project with the Blue Nature Alliance to increase the capacity of marine conservation practitioners in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region through training, mentorship, networking, and
WIOMSA is pleased to announce the release of the latest issue of the WIOMSA Magazine: People and the Environment! The special feature of Issue 14 is a story on Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park, managed by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which has just received a gold level Blue Park Award; becoming East Africa’s first ever Blue Park! The
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Florida State University researchers have found that some marine-protected areas may not work as predicted in safeguarding and conserving endangered species. A team of international researchers found that hawksbill turtles in Brazil are most often searching for food and breeding outside the boundaries of marine-protected areas, which are designated regions of
A new paper by Veronica Relano-Ecija has assessed the power of Exclusive Economic Zones by comparing four large MPAs with different levels of protection. Key findings of the paper include : Assessing and comparing the performance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) is necessary to inform conservation policy-making. MPAs and similar
More than 60% of coral reefs globally are under immediate and direct threat (WRI, 2018). With some 500 million people depending directly on coral reefs for food and income, these populations are particularly vulnerable to reef-loss (‘poverty trap’). Well-managed and financed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are the cornerstones of international efforts to “replenish biodiversity and
