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Twenty-six years ago, in 1975, Tanzania designated her first national marine reserves to protect her rich marine heritage. There were 7 reserves including the 4 small islands close to Dar es Salaam city, 2 sites in Mafia Island and 1 near Tanga. Resources for managing these areas were very scarce at that time, whilst threats were ever increasing.
Local coastal communities were denied acces rights to marine resources within gazetted marine reserves. Little attention was paid on people's welfare to try and preserve these areas compounding basic conflicts increase between conservation and livelihood security. Unlawful fishing practices thrived, such as dynamite and beach-seine nets, to the detriment of marine habitats, particularly the fragile coral reef ecosystems.
To rectify the Government reviewed its marine heritage status and enacted a new Marine Parks and Reserves Act (1994) that embodies a more holistic strategy towards marine protected area (MPA) conservation. The Act has revolutionised how we shall protect our marine resources in the Tanzanian mainland by
emphasising participation with communities and stakeholders.
The Act identifies 2 types of marine protected Area; marine parks and marine reserves. Within the smaller marine reserves only non-extractive activities are permitted, such as recreation snorkeling, diving, underwater photography, outreach education and research.
The larger marine parks are governed by a multi-user approach with a zoning plan that designates certain areas for protection and others for sustainable resource-use. Efforts are made to facilitate local communities to explore and develop alternative livelihoods such as mariculture, tourism, beekeeping and handicrafts
The Tanzania mainland coast has a great wealth of marine resources spread along its its 800km length; Tanga to Bagamoyo the island of Mbudya, Bongayo and Pangavini, the globally important mangrove and coral reef complex of Rufiji, Mafia and Songosongo, Kilwa, Lindi, Mtwara and Ruvuma Estuary. A string of pearls
representing a rich diversity of tropical marine and coastal habitats, these areas harbour a precious inheritance of fisheries, coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves and palm-fringed beaches. There is a great need for improved management of these treasure troves. In doing so, marine protected areas have a vital important role to play within the broader integrated coastal management strategy being promoted by our colleagues at the Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership (TCMP).
We need to publicise more widely the fact that marine areas play an important role to humanity. For biodiversity protection and nature conservation they provide breeding grounds and homes for countless marine organisms, A to Z from anemones to zooplankton. For livelihood security, they provide food, shelter and income to hundreds of thousands of Tanzanians.
Marine protected areas have invaluable scientific, educational, economic, cultural and aesthetic values that make them stand out as monuments that must be conserved for posterity.
This newsletter shall highlight efforts by the public and private sectors and by coastal communities, all striving to balance commercial, recreational, cultural, research, educational and environmental interests. To help strike this balance, we aim to provide each of you with an opportunity to contribute your ideas on the future of Tanzania marine parks and reserves.
We invite your comments and participation.
Rumisha Chikambi
Manager/Secretary
Board of Trustees, Marine Parks & Reserves,Tanzania.
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