Eastern African Marine Ecoregion

The Eastern African Coast

Geographic scope of the Eastern African Marine Ecoregion - WWF The coast of Eastern Africa extends for over 7,000 km (4,000 miles), from the northern tip of the Horn of Africa to Cape Town, and is home to the peoples of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa. North of Chisimayu in Somalia, the coast is strongly influenced by an up-welling of colder, nutrient rich water from March-October. As a result there are marked changes in seawater temperature during the year, varying between 17-30°C. The central region, stretching from Chisimayu all the way down to Sodwana Bay in South Africa is exposed to consistent, tropical, environmental conditions throughout the year, with seawater temperature usually between 24 – 31°C. This region extends for approximately 4,600 km and includes some or all of the territorial waters of Somalia (approx. 300 km), the entire coastlines of Kenya (500 km), Tanzania (900 km), and Mozambique (2,800 km), and the north-eastern portion of South Africa (approx.100 km). South of Sodwana Bay the coast is influenced by colder seawater and weather that changes the environment from tropical to temperate. Within the tropical portion of the eastern African coast, the shores and coastal seas harbour a characteristic set of species, habitats, dynamics, and environmental conditions. The coastal and marine plants and animals present in the region have adapted and evolved to live and breed in the consistent, reliable tropical conditions that prevail here. This coastal region, functioning largely as a unit, or ecological region, is called the eastern African marine ecoregion (EAME).

The eastern African marine ecoregion covers an area estimated at 540,900 square kilometres, including the Exclusive Economic Zones off these countries, to the 200 m depth contour, beyond the continental slope. The main oceanographic influence is the South Equatorial Current that slits into the northerly flowing East Africa Coastal Current and southerly flowing Mozambique Current about half-way along the length of the ecoregion in northern Mozambique. This current spreads water derived form the Indian Ocean all along the coastline. The Somali current in the north and the Agulhas current in the south also influence the ecoregion.

The Island states

The Eastern African Marine Ecoregion does not include the Western Indian Ocean Islands Madagascar, the Comores, Reunion, Mauritius and the Seychelles). These are considered

part of a sister ecoregion, though it is clearly recognised that the two ecoregions are linked.