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Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Marine and Coastal News Roundup
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23 August 2022


Welcome, Nairobi Convention Member States, partners, and friends, to this issue of the Weekly News Round-up!

Do you have any events, research, or scientific publications on the Western Indian Ocean that you would like to be included in the round-up?
Write to unep-nairobi-convention@un.org !
Blue Carbon commitment: Seychelles' seagrass meadows mapped

A two-year mapping exercise was carried out around Seychelles’ main islands - Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue and around the outer islands of Astove, Cosmoledo, Alphonse and St. Francois. The newly completed maps detail the distribution of mangrove and seagrass ecosystems. With the maps, policymakers, planners and others involved in the development of the Blue Economy in the country will now have data collected during the mapping exercise. 

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These are the top emitters of microplastics in our oceans
 
Synthetic textiles are the biggest source of microplastics in the world's oceans. A single washing machine load of acrylic clothing can release around 730,000 fibers into the waste water system. Car tires are the second biggest source at - a consequence of their erosion while driving. Buying less synthetic clothing and using the car less can help reduce the number of microplastics emitted by these sources into the oceans. 

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Tackling Marine Plastic Pollution in Tanzania
 
In Zanzibar and Tanzania, plastic pollution is ubiquitous along coastlines, encroaching on ecosystems as well as coastal tourism sites, which represent one of the country’s most lucrative industries. Their economies are built around marine-adjacent sectors. Therefore, understanding the sources, quantities, types, and characteristics of marine litter in Tanzania and Zanzibar is critical not only for the environmental health but for the economic and social wellbeing of local populations. 

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South Africa needs an integrated national maritime security strategy

A maritime security strategy is needful for effective ocean governance and investment in South Africa’s blue economy. The strategy would bring together government agencies, civil and private sectors with maritime knowledge with the intention of addressing the existing and emerging threats and challenges. 

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African leaders share practical ways to build resilient coastal communities

Ocean-facing African cities are experiencing a rise in sea levels, challenges with preserving wetlands, drought, ocean waste and water pollution, infrastructure damage, declining fish stocks, degraded ecosystems and coastal erosion. A workshop bringing together representatives from different governmental departments on the East coast of Africa was held in Cape Town to unpack these issues and find tangible ways forward.  

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African Ocean Stewardship 

The oceans around Africa are resource-rich and biodiverse, containing highly productive large marine ecosystems that have supported livelihoods for millennia. These resources continue to attract investment in harvesting, mining, coastal development, energy, and tourism. Unfortunately, this does not necessarily translate into direct benefits for Africa’s people. Discussions on marine and coastal resource management and conservation around Africa tend to focus on negative issues such as illegal fishing, biodiversity and ecosystem loss, pollution, poverty, and piracy. 
Reaching Global Marine Biodiversity Conservation Goals With Area-Based Fisheries Management: A Typology-Based Evaluation

Growing demands and pressures on marine and coastal environments are resulting in inequitable and unwelcome outcomes for social–environmental systems across low- and high-income countries (FAO, 2022).  Numerous global, regional and national initiatives have promoted the use of area-based management tools (ABMTs) in marine and coastal zones.  Within the CBD’s Post-2020 Framework, a draft target proposes increasing the coverage of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) from 10 to 30% of the ocean by 2030 (CBD, 2021). This review highlights how fisheries measures can help achieve several Sustainable Development Goals alongside the global targets for biodiversity of CBD. 

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Want to learn more about issues critical to ocean protection?
 
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