Latham Island

A small, flat, barren island of about 2,000m squared located south of Dar es Salaam, about 24 nautical miles off the Tanzanian coast. The island is situated on an oval shaped plateau with an extended southern platform. The area covered, to the 200m isobath, is approximately 410 km squared of which the island contributes a tiny proportion. Also known locally as Fungu Mubarak.

Description

Latham is the exposed top of a seamount, comprised of rock, sand and guano, with sparse
vegetation. There are steep drop-offs all round to approximately 300 m depth. There are large numbers of breeding sea birds including Masked boobies (>1% biogeographic population), Swift and Sooty terns, and Brown noddy. The small beach area may be an important site for breeding sea turtles. Possible local upwellings support rich pelagic resources including billfish, sharks (e.g. Tiger sharks) and tuna, as well as demersal fish populations, particularly along the southern bank. Latham Island is the only offshore seamount island in the ecoregion.

Contacts

Department of Zoology and Marine Biology of the University of Dar es Salaam.

Conservation Status

Currently there is no management in place at Latham Island. The existing pressure is minimal, but measures to protect bird colonies and island itself from future human interference are necessary. The rich and diverse fish stocks should also be managed to prevent their unsustainable exploitation (e.g. fleets of foreign / local long-liners).

Summary of threats and information needs

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