The Marine Parks and Reserves Authority was established under the Marine Parks an reserve Act Number 29 of 1994, It is Managed by the board of Trustees whose role is to oversee the management and administration of marine parks and reserves to ensure sustainable use of the marine resources. 

The Board of Trustees has 10 members including the Secretary (click here to see board member Pictures). The Board advises the Minster for Natural Resources and Tourism on the overall policy and legislative maters pertaining to the conservation and Management of Coastal and Marine resources. 

Under the law, each Marine Park there is an Advisory Committee whose role is to advise the Board of Trustees on the day-to-day running of the Marine Park. These committees constitute the representative of Marine Park stakeholders including the local community, local government academia, private sector and -Non governmental organization. 

>> See also; Group Photo of the Board Members

 
VISION:

"Establishment of a well managed, integrated network of marine and freshwater protected areas, which ensure the sustainability of Tanzania's aquatic biological diversity and ecological processes for the benefit of present and future generations".

MISSION:

"To provide for the protection and sustainable conservation of marine and fresh water resources in aquatic protected areas of mainland Tanzania for the benefit of present and future generations".

OBJECTIVES:

* To manage Marine and coastal areas so as to promote sustainability of the use, and the recovery of areas and resources that have been over exploited or otherwise damaged.

* To ensure that communities and other local resident resource users in the vicinity of the Marine protected area that depend on the resources for their livelihood are involved in all phases of the planning, development and management.

* Communities share in the benefits of operations of the protected areas and have the priority in the resource use and economic opportunity accrued by the establishment of a protected area.

* To promote community oriented education and dissemination of information concerning conservation and sustainable use of the marine protected area.

* To stimulate the rational development of under utilized natural resources.

* To protect, conserve and restore the species and genetic diversity of living and non-living marine resources and ecosystem processes of marine and coastal areas; and

* To facilitate research and to monitor resource conditions and uses within the marine protected area.

STRATEGIES:

a. To put in place and legal tools for smooth management of MPAs.

b. To consolidate the human resource capacities in the MPRs management to meet
the demand.

c. To publicize and disseminate Marine Parks and Reserves information such as regulations and its amendments to all stakeholders.

d. To establish and maintain boundary development in all Marine Parks and Reserves.

e. To develop and establish an effective revenue collection system in all Marine protected Areas as per law.

f. To undertake 5 year strategic Planning Exercises including a Mid and Long Term MPRs Financing strategy aimed at reducing excessive Board's dependency on government funding.

g. To improve the economic welfare of the local communities living inside marine Parks and Reserves through promotion of ecologically, socially and economically acceptable practices.

h. To develop and maintain open and consultative procedure between the Board, Marine Parks and Reserves management, local government authorities and other stakeholders in relation to institutional arrangements, mandates and administration.

i. To put in place generic management tool for guiding development within MPAs.

CURRENT MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs) GOVERNED BY THE BOARD:

a. Dar Marine Reserves - located in Dar es Salaam region.
    Four marine DSM reserves,  Bongoyo Island Marine Reserve
                                         Mbudya Island Marine Reserve
                                         Pangavini Island Marine Reserve
                                         Funguyasini Marine Reserve

b. Maziwi Island Marine Reserves - located in Pangani district (Tanga region).

c. Mafia Island Marine Park - located in Coast Region.

d. Mnazi Bay - Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park (MREMP) located in Mtwara Region.

e. Transfrontier Conservation Area encompassing (TFCA) Southern Regions and areas
bordering Lake Nyasa in the countries like Malawi and Zambia.