WWF - Conservation and environmental publications: East Africa Marine ecoregion

DEVELOPING REGIONAL MINIMUM TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR GRANTING TUNA FISHING ACCESS IN THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN

2013-05-22

This document serves as the report for the WWF-‐Coastal East Africa Global Initiative consultancy on 'Developing Regional Minimum Terms and Conditions (MT & Cs) for granting tuna fishing access in the Western Indian Ocean,' (Agreement No CN63), designed to:

(i) Contribute to a sound and coordinated tuna management in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO)

(ii) Empower the WIO coastal and Island States to engage with Distant Water Fishing Nations (DWFNs) in order to develop and secure far greater economic returns from the tuna resources within their jurisdiction, while ensuring their sustainability.

The focal States for the implementation of this contract are; Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar and South Africa. The consultancy was initiated on 1st August 2012, and completed on 28th September 2012.

Community-Based Natural Resource Management Stocktaking Exercise in Tanzania

2013-05-20

The Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF) has embarked on a process to establish a series of dialogues on CBNRM. The aim of this initiative is to provide a platform for multi-stakeholder exchange of information, sharing experiences and agreeing on a common course for the success of CBNRM in the country. The platform will disseminate information on CBNRM successes, challenges and areas needing more focus in the natural resource sector, thereby promoting learning and providing opportunities to influence CBNRM practice and policy in ways that can lead to success. It is against this background that TNRF undertook a national stocktaking exercise on CBNRM (see attached terms of reference). This initiative is also part of the regional Southern Africa CBNRM Forum (SACF) of which TNRF is a focal point for Tanzania.

Coastal East Africa threatened spaces and disappearing species cause for worry

2011-11-07

WWF's Coastal East Africa Initiative has launched a report that seeks to draw attention to the global importance of East African coastal forests as centres of biodiversity and home to species specifically found only in this region.

Coastal East Africa which runs from the border between Kenya and Somalia, through to Tanzania and onwards to Mozambique contains various threatened spaces and disappearing species that have continually been a cause of great concern for scientists and biologists the world over.

The report which was launched today by Tanzania's Minister for Environment, Dr. Terezya Huvisa, details shocking statistics indicating that a mere 10% of the original coastal forests of Eastern Africa remain, fragmented into 400 patches that cover over 6000 square kilometres in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique.

One of the world's most biologically diverse regions

Coastal forests and landscapes in Eastern Africa are home to thousands of species of plants and animals. In the last 10 years alone, more than 400 new species, including 261 invertebrates, 28 fish, 25 amphibians, 19 reptiles, 10 birds, 7 mammals and 93 plants have been discovered in the region making it one of the most biologically diverse and endemic regions of the world.

Currently, over 20 million people live in and along coastal forests and landscapes in Eastern Africa. The survival of these people is highly dependent on the availability of basic natural resources such as timber, woodfuel and charcoal, which are extracted from forests, causing a serious dilemma; their dependency and consequent exploitation of these resources destroying the very basis of their existence. The pressures are rapidly rising as the population is expected to double by 2030 putting a serious and already present strain on the meagre natural resources present in Coastal East Africa.

According to WWF Coastal East Africa Initiative Leader Peter Scheren, the situation in the region is worrying: "Up to 90% of all timber extracted from forests in the region is illegally logged. A large part of this timber is exported, primarily to China, for prices well below the actual value of the wood. This adds to the local demands for firewood and timber from the growing local population, and large-scale clearing of forests for agriculture and other purposes. The poor communities from the region, those that are depending on these resources for their livelihoods, are the ones suffering most".

Safeguarding the beauty and splendour of Coastal East Africa

Dr. Terezya Huvisa states that "Tanzania is dedicated to preserve its remaining rich forests, which are not only crucial for the day-to-day survival of our growing population, but also as our contribution to the global climate change mitigation strategy. We are actively exploring REDD and other carbon credit mechanisms to support our communities in conserving these forests", said the Minister.

Peter further noted that WWF was serious in its initiative to help safeguard the beauty and splendour of Coastal East Africa and has invested heavily in both people and nature to help secure the future livelihood of a growing population within the region.

"WWF's mission is to ensure that East Africa's valuable natural resources are being effectively conserved and these continue to provide goods and services to more than 20 million people dependent upon them," he said.

By John Kabubu, WWF Coastal East Africa

China and East Africa: opportunities for sustainable development

2010-04-22

This brochure about China-East Africa relations presents opportunities for sustainable development and introduces WWF's work in the area.

Patterns of Chinese Investment, Aid and Trade in Tanzania

2010-03-09

The paper provides a short overview of historical relations between China and Tanzania, briefly highlighting key aid, trade and investment features. It also presents views of Chinese investments by representatives of governments, civil society and the private sector in Tanzania, as well as existing evidence of the impact (positive and negative) of Chinese aid and investment on the Tanzanian economy, environment and people's livelihoods.

Patterns of Chinese Investment, Aid and Trade in Mozambique

2010-03-09

The paper provides a brief history of the relationship between China and Mozambique, as well as an overview of China's aid and investment strategy in Mozambique. It also presents views of Chinese investments by representatives of governments, civil society and private sector; and existing evidence of the impacts of Chinese aid and investment on the Mozambican economy, environment and people's livelihoods.

WWF report on climate change impacts in East Africa

2006-11-06

WWF review of the scientific literature of climate change impacts on East Africa

Promotion of Sustainable and Equitable Fisheries Access Agreements in the Western Indian Ocean

2005-10-11

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) coastal states include; Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros and the French Reunion, all of which have high marine biological diversity with unique habitats and ecosystems. Moreover, the region has the largest number of commercial fish species in the world because of the existence of these highly productive ecosystems. However, besides all these positive aspects regarding this region, habitat degradation and overexploitation of marine resources is today creating a large threat to marine biodiversity than at any other time in the history of our planet.

Fisheries play an important role for the countries in the region, as a major contributor to food supplies and rural employment in foreshore areas, and as a significant foreign exchange earner. In general, the sector plays an important role in the economy of coastal areas, where alternative sources of employment and food supply are often quite limited. It is also important to note that for the Island states, catches of tuna are even more important and steadily increasing. A great majority of fisher folks in this region are in the small-scale artisanal sector, often using a diverse range of small craft-gear combinations for fishing. A significant proportion of this population lives in poverty, and from environmental and socioeconomic points of view, they are among the most vulnerable group in the WIO countries.

On the other hand, the commercial and industrial fishers, commonly represented by distant water fishing nations, harvest the fisheries resources through bilateral and multilateral fishing agreements. These Agreements became necessary after many Coastal States established Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) in the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Although the zones cover only 35% of the total area of the seas, they contain 90% of the world's fish stocks.

It is important to note that relations between coastal countries in the region and fishing fleets from non-adjacent countries changed radically with the onset of the "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" in 1982. This convention enabled the coastal countries to protect their fishing resources by recognizing the right of these states to determine how their waters were to be exploited. The convention also provided a legal basis and economic motivation for the negotiation of access agreements between Coastal States and distant water fishing fleets. Thus, legally, fisheries stocks came under the control of the respective countries closest to them. Therefore, fishing fleets, which had traditionally fished in these waters, no longer had access. In order to regain fishing access to those traditional fishing areas and extend it to new areas, the non-adjacent countries concluded Fishing Agreements with the coastal countries concerned.

In effect, the declaration of EEZs gave all coastal states the option to either harvest the fish themselves or allow foreign vessels to harvest the same.

Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Seascape Programme, Tanzania

2005-07-19

These habitats harbour the equal highest levels of coral & fish biodiversity in the region; highly important prawn, finfish & invertebrate fisheries; important turtle nesting sites and the only remaining dugong refuge in Tanzania. The area was selected as one of 8 high priority 'seascapes' under the Eastern African Marine Eco-region (EAME) planning process in 2001-2002.

The Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Seascape has a human population of approx. 140,000 and this social context governs the programme's strategy. The 'seascape' concept mirrors the terrestrial 'landscape' approach and recognises the need to look beyond protected areas to the wider geographic, social and economic context. It takes as its starting point the fundamental links between environment and poverty and between biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood development.

For more information on the programme's objectives and activities, please download the factsheet from this site.

Marine Protected Areas - providing a future for fish and people

2005-06-27

They also provide services to local communities who depend on the sea and its resources, increasing food security and reducing poverty. MPAs can also benefit local people by opening new opportunities to gain income. Countries with coral reefs attract millions of SCUBA divers every year, yielding significant economic benefits to the host country. Globally, almost USD 10 billion are spent on coral reef tourism annually.

By establishing MPAs, we can restore the balance in the use of our oceans, safeguarding valuable fish stocks and important habitats while providing long-term solutions for local communities.

The challenge

The world's oceans are under more pressure than ever before. From France to Japan, from Senegal to Australia and Chile, fish stocks are overfished and important habitats are being lost or degraded at an unprecedented rate. Sixty per cent of coral reefs are expected to be lost by 2030 if present rates of decline continue. The increasing number of people living on the coasts and the rapid rise in consumer demand for fish threaten marine biodiversity across the oceans.

Inadequate fisheries management and widespread overuse of marine and coastal resources are also eroding the traditional basis of life for millions of people and even entire countries, depriving communities of their main source of vital protein and increasing poverty.

Yet, only a mere 0.5 per cent of the oceans are protected – compare this to 13 per cent of land area under protection. And the large majority of that is inadequately managed, with almost all marine protected areas open to tourism and recreation and 90 per cent open to fishing.

To turn the tide towards healthy oceans, the world's leaders agreed, at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002, to create representative networks of MPAs by 2012.

It's time to put these global agreements into action!

Download the brochure (PDF format) to find out more about the benefits of Marine Protected Areas

:::Video:::
Tracks: an unsual challenge for marine turtle hatchlings

2005-04-20

Sea turtles are endangered.

The main threats are incidental mortality in fishers' nets and hooks, destruction of nesting beaches and feeding habitats, and overexploitation for eggs, meat and shells.

Natural predators take an additional toll, particularly on eggs and hatchlings.

Only about 1 in a 1000 make it to adulthood.

On some beaches, turtle hatchlings face an additional challenge: climbing across vehicle tracks.

Many do not succeed and walk along these deadly traps, failing to find a way out to the sea.

This 3.5 minute video shows these loggerhead hatchlings struggling to cross a vehicle track on a beach in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. (Flash download version also available 7.7MB)

The conservation implications of allowing vehicle traffic on nesting beaches are a concern for WWF´s marine turtle programme.

Production, footage and editing: Carlos Drews - WWF Marine Turtle Coordinator for LAC

Date of filming: 6th February, 2005

Location: Bangha Nek, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

Species: Loggerheads (Caretta caretta)

Format: MPEG 4 (readable with Mac)

Duration: 3 min 24 sec

Date of release: 2 April 2005

Soundtrack: no narration, original sound

Note: the video sequence includes footage of hawksbill turtles hatching (filmed in Costa Rica). All shots of hatchlings walking portrait loggerheads in Kwazulu-Natal.

The Eastern African Marine Ecoregion: Towards the Establishment of an Ecologically Representative Network of Marine Protected Areas in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique

2005-04-14

In all three countries, a large proportion of the rapidly increasing coastal population depends on marine resources for their food and income, inshore fisheries are over-exploited and degradation of marine and coastal ecosystems is escalating. MPAs are increasingly recognised as a tool for addressing these problems. In Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique there are 23 MPAs plus a further two areas (Tanga Collaborative Fishery Management Areas in Tanzania and Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary in Mozambique) that are included in this report as they are managed areas.

Individual protected areas are unlikely to be fully successful and the need for networks is now generally recognised. Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique have committed themselves under regional and international treaties to establishing protected area networks and have set ambitious targets for achieving these. Tanzania, for example, has committed to increasing protection of its seas to 10% by 2012, and 20% by 2025.

The Status of Marine Turtles in Tanzania

2005-03-06

Populations are declining as a result of habitat destruction and alteration, overexploitation for meat and eggs, and incidental capture in gillnets and trawlers.

Although conservation and management efforts are underway in some areas of Tanzania including the Zanzibar islands of Pemba and Unguja, and Mafia, Bagamoyo, Temeke, Mkuranga and Mtwara districts on the mainland, the conservation status of turtles in Tanzania remains largely unknown. Information concerning population dynamics is incomplete, while knowledge of nesting populations and feeding habitats is patchy and of developmental habitats almost non-existent.

The green turtle is the most common and widespread species in Tanzania. While low density nesting has been reported along the mainland coast from Tanga in the north to Mtwara in the south, the most concentrated numbers of nests appear to be on the offshore islands of Zanzibar, Mafia and possibly the Songo Songo archipelago. The main nesting season is between February and July. Evidence from tag returns indicate that while some green turtles are probably resident, others are highly migratory moving to and from nesting and feeding grounds in Kenya, Seychelles, Comoros, Mayotte, Europa Island and South Africa.

Hawksbills are also widely distributed but are less abundant. Nesting has only been recorded in low numbers on small remote offshore islands such as Misali and Mnemba Islands in Zanzibar, the small islands off Dar es Salaam, Shungi-mbili Island in northwest Mafia and the Songo Songo archipelago. The most important nesting sites in Tanzania are Misali Island, off Pemba, and Mafia Island. The main nesting season is during the northeast monsoon between December and April. Although no animals bearing tags from other countries in the region have been recorded, the hawksbill is a migratory species so it is probable that Tanzania harbours both residents and migrants.

Little is known about the status of olive ridley turtles although they are no longer reported to nest. They were observed nesting on Maziwe Island south of Tanga in the mid 1970s but the island has subsequently submerged and no further nesting records for this species have been made. Local fishers report that they are occasionally accidentally catch in gillnets along the Tanzania coast and net captures have been confirmed in Mtwara, near the border with Mozambique.

Loggerhead turtles are relatively rare in Tanzania and there is no indication that they nest. However, evidence from tag returns signify that southern Tanzania and the Mafia area are important foraging grounds for loggerheads nesting in Tongaland and Natal in South Africa. Very little information is available on leatherback turtles because they are so rarely sighted and because indigenous knowledge is limited. Two leatherback turtles were caught in offshore waters on Pemba Island in 1997 and three were washed up on Mafia beaches in 2002 and 2003. This suggests that they may feed in the area or are en route to nesting sites in Natal.

The main threats to turtles in Tanzania are disturbance of nesting and foraging habitats, incidental net captures (gillnets and trawlers), poaching of meat and eggs, lack of adequate protection and enforcement, limited awareness and land-based development and pollution.

Recommendations for research and monitoring include: further studies on turtle reproduction, nest biology, foraging habitats, genetics and threats; and tagging to determine movements and breeding frequency.

Conservation and management priorities include: protection of key habitats, compulsory use of Turtle Excluder Devices by commercial prawn trawlers and restriction of gillnets in key foraging areas; promotion of community participation in the management of coastal and marine resources through recruitment of Community Turtle Monitors and involvement in Beach Management Units; awareness raising; development of a Turtle Recovery & Action Plan; coordination of activities at national and regional levels by the National Turtle Conservation Committee; and fund raising.

East Africa Marine Ecoregion Brochure

2005-02-22

Dugong Conservation Strategy in East Africa

2004-11-26

Report Contents

1. Introduction
2. Background Context
2.1 Western Indian Ocean region
2.2 Existing programmes in the WIO involved in dugong conservation
3. Global and Regional Dugong Conservation Status and Distribution
4. Dugong Biology and Life History
4.1 Taxonomy and description
4.2 Life History and reproductive ecology
4.3 Habitat and diet
4.4 Movements
5. Threats
6. Aims
7. Methods
7.1 Literature review and consultation
7.2 Questionnaire survey
8. Results (National Dugong Assessments)

8.1 KENYA
8.1.1 Summary
8.1.2 General background
8.1.3 Dugong status and distribution
8.1.4 Uses and myths
8.1.5 Threats
8.1.6 Policy and legislation
8.1.7 On-going / proposed conservation and research activities
8.1.8 Recommendations

8.2 TANZANIA
8.2.1 Summary
8.2.2 General background
8.2.3 Dugong status and distribution
8.2.4 Uses and myths
8.2.5 Threats
8.2.6 Policy and legislation
8.2.7 On-going / proposed education, research and management activities
8.2.8 Recommendations

8.3 MOZAMBIQUE
8.3.1 Summary
8.3 2 General background
8.3.3 Dugong status and distribution
8.3.4 Uses and myths
8.3.5 Threats
8.3.6 Policy and legislation
8.3.7 On-going / proposed conservation and research activities
8.3.8 Recommendations

8.4 MADAGASCAR
8.4.1 Summary
8.4.2 General background
8.4.3 Dugong status and distribution
8.4.4 Uses and myths
8.4.5 Threats
8.4.6 Policy and legislation
8.4.7 Recommendations

8.5 SEYCHELLES
8.5.1 Summary
8.5 2 General background
8.5.3 Dugong status and distribution
8.5.4 Threats
8.5.5 Policy and legislation
8.5.6 On-going / proposed conservation and management activities
8.5.7 Recommendations

8.6 UNION OF THE COMOROS
8.6.1 Summary
8.6.2 General description
8.6.3 Dugong status and distribution
8.6.4 Threats
8.6.5 Policy and Legislation
8.6.6 On-going / proposed conservation and management activities
8.6.7 Recommendations

8.7 MAYOTTE / REUNION
8.7.1 Summary
8.7.2 General description
8.7.3 Dugong status and distribution
8.7.4 Threats
8.7.5 Policy and legislation
8.7.6 On-going / proposed dugong conservation and research activities
8.7.7 Recommendations

9. WIO Regional Synthesis
9.1 Dugong status and distribution
9.2 Threats
10. Priority Conservation Actions
11. Conclusion

How's your MPA doing?

2004-10-01

Conserving Turtles on a Global Scale

2004-03-19

Since its foundation in 1961, WWF has supported numerous marine turtle conservation efforts worldwide. Much of the early work involvedmapping the distribution of nesting beaches, with surveys in more than 40 countries.

Other projects focused on survival of eggs andhatchlings, establishment of protected areas, research into marine turtle biology, ecologyand behaviour, monitoring the trade in turtle products, investigating the threats from fisheries and sponsoring international conferences and workshops on marine turtle conservation.

WWF assisted in the creation of what was to become the IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, and supported the first World Conference on the Conservation of Marine Turtles in 1979.

Because of the great mobility of these animals, marine turtles are vulnerable throughout their ranges to a myriad of threats, including intentionalhunting/trapping and incidental capture in fishing gear.

WWF continues to support nationalefforts to conserve marine turtles, and is also increasingly focusing on regional approaches to conservation in the Mediterranean, Indo-Pacific,eastern Pacific and Caribbean, and Africa and Madagascar.

Mangroves of East Africa

2003-10-29

Fact Sheet: East African marine ecoregion

2003-03-25

The East African marine ecoregion occupies a coastal and shallow marine area covering more than 480,000 km2, and extending approximately 4,600 km along the continent's eastern coast. The ecoregion includes some or all of the territorial waters of each of the countries from Somalia in the north to South Africa in the south, as well as the international waters beyond the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

Fact Sheet: Western Indian Ocean marine ecoregion

2003-03-24

The marine and coastal ecosystems of the Western Indian Ocean islands are rich, diverse and distinctive. The Seychelles are among the few granitic oceanic islands that support coral reefs, as well as small stands of mangroves. Large river estuaries in Madagascar support extensive mangrove areas, while on other islands intact mangrove forests remain only in a few bays. Around these one finds a variety of other coastal habitats, including spectacular reefs, sea grass beds, lagoons, beaches, rocky coasts, cliffs, and limestone caves.