The southern coast of Kenya is renowned for its marine biodiversity. There are impressive numbers of coral, mangrove, seagrass, and fish species, plus dolphins, whales, whale sharks, and sea turtles. The area also has a rapidly growing human population of 1.2 million, many of whom depend on marine and coastal resources for their livelihoods. Overfishing, illegal fishing, and runoff from farmland are dramatically depleting fish stocks. Climate change impacts are seen in incidents of coral bleaching. The tides bring plastic pollution.
Mkwiro Village is located on the southern end of Wasini Island. The island is composed of ancient coral that has turned to limestone and is not suited for agriculture, so managing its marine resources is critical. In 2014, Seacology funded rehabilitation of the Mkwiro Beach Management Unit (BMU) office and a solid waste recycling program. The BMU is legally responsible for management and enforcement of the 741-acre Mkwiro Marine Co-Management Area (CMA). Seacology’s investment helped attract media attention and other funding for coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass conservation.
The community is now committing to conserve the 741-acre marine protected area in perpetuity. They have drafted a management plan that will put more controls on illegal fishing and establish both temporary and permanent closures of marine areas. The BMU will oversee the monitoring, control, and surveillance of the CMA; a subcommittee has already been trained for this purpose.
The BMU will use a Seacology grant to strengthen monitoring and enforcement in the CMA, and to support community engagement. The community will build bandas for a restaurant and simple accommodations for tourists. They will also build a conference hall near the BMU office, which will provide rental income and accommodate the growing BMU membership. Grant funds will also be used to develop ecotourism ventures, conduct community consultations, and finalize the CMA management plan. Lastly, they will install buoys to mark the no-take zone.
