Coral Reef Restoration and Aquaculture for People and Oceans

Community-based Ocean Conservation since 2008

Protecting the oceans – empowering people
Half of the world’s population lives in coastal areas that are under threat from overexploitation and climate change. Coral reefs are dying, biodiversity is declining, and livelihoods are being eroded.

marinecultures.org works with coastal communities in Zanzibar on sustainable aquaculture, coral restoration and fisheries management, and runs conservation projects for marine wildlife.

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Our mission

Community-based conservation means strengthening both nature and people. At marinecultures.org, we combine ecological restoration with social development. Our four pillars — reef restoration, fisheries management, youth awareness programs, and the Reef Restoration Training Centre — are interlinked: as we regenerate degraded coral reefs and promote biodiversity and fish stocks, we generate knowledge, income, and opportunities within the community. This creates a balance between healthy ecosystems and strong, self-determined coastal communities.

marinecultures.org is funded by donations and project-based grants. We are a small, close-knit organisation consisting of seven trained members of the local community, a scientist, and a managing director. Together, we are committed to the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems in Zanzibar.

Help us make a real impact—become a member, connect with us, or support our work with a donation.

Latest news

October 7, 2026

Spwaning Season Start

Coral Spawning Season Has Begun in Zanzibar From October to March, coral reefs along the East African coast enter the period when many coral species release their reproductive cells, known

September 1, 2026

Wilkommen im Team!

New Team Members at marinecultures.org Our team has grown over the past year, and we are very happy to welcome four new team members to marinecultures.org. Each of them brings

August 3, 2026

Moving into Our New Office

Moving into Our New Office In May, we took the step of moving into the neighbouring building, where we have set up our new office and Larval Propagation Laboratory. From

What we do

Reef restoration

At our coral farm in the Jambiani Lagoon, we cultivate corals that are used to restore damaged reefs. We build artificial reefs, install buoys for fishing and diving boats to prevent anchor damage – and raise awareness of the ecological importance of the reefs.

Fisheries Management

Healthy marine ecosystems can only be preserved in the long term if local people are actively involved in their protection and use – and derive tangible benefits from them.

Sponge farming

Alongside gathering seafood and farming seaweed, sponge farming has become a new occupation for women on the east coast of Zanzibar. Our sponges are unique.

Training Centre for Reef Restoration

We empower local people to restore coral reefs independently and offer practical training to help them do so.

Awareness Programme

Our awareness-raising program strengthens the local community’s environmental awareness while also showing people where and how marinecultures.org operates.