Vision Statement

The participants at the Mombasa meeting, held in April 2001, developed a common vision statementto describe what we should be striving for over the long term and agreed that 50 years from now the Eastern African Marine Ecoregion should be...

“a healthy marine and coastal environment that provides sustainable benefits for present and future generations of both local and international communities, who also understand and actively care for its biodiversity and ecological integrity.”

From vision to conservation - the way forward?

To proceed from the vision to the reality of a healthy and productive ecoregion, the participants at the Mombasa workshop concluded that it was important to extend partnerships to involve other professionals. It was also noted that there was a need to fill gaps in current marine and coastal conservation efforts and that a preliminary assessment of current conservation initiatives should be undertaken, to learn from previous experiences. There was general acceptance of the need to boost our knowledge of species, habitats, the way that these resources are used, as well as to promote greater public awareness of the value and role of the biodiversity of the coast. Support for research and conse

rvation, and a change of focus from conserving endangered species to conserving whole areas of biodiversity was recommended, as was the need to examine over-exploitation of some fisheries and pollution from land based activities. WWF, under its Ecoregion Conservation Programme, can contribute to resolving some of these issues.

It was recognised that the practical implementation of this vision will involve a balance between conservation and consumption, between human needs and those of other species in the ecoregion, and between the needs of present and future generations. If we concentrate our efforts on the 21 sites, much of the coastal and marine biodiversity of the eastern African marine ecoregion, and its integrity, will be sustained. This approach also anticipates that while conservation efforts are focused on specific areas, the wider public (i.e. educators, civil society, industry, governments, etc.) will increase their understanding and appreciation of marine biodiversity and its importance. Only through their participation, can alternatives be found to practices that are steadily eroding the integrity and value of our coastal assets.

Understanding marine biodiversity as a valuable asset has evolved gradually over the past thirty years. Recognising the importance of a regional approach to sustaining marine biodiversity is a concept that has developed even more recently. At a regional level, there has already been some cooperation to examine the loss of marine and coastal biodiversity. Beginning in 1985, the governments of the western Indian Ocean countries have regularly met and agreed on plans to examine the loss of marine habitats. They have accepted the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) approach as the way forward by signing the Arusha Resolution in 1993 and have initiated implementation of the Nairobi Convention of 1985 through committing resources and efforts towards prioritising areas for marine conservation. The importance of partnerships to assist in implementation has also been acknowledged. As a partner, WWF will play an expanding role helping the people of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa to protect their marine ecological heritage.