Tanzania Protects Two New Marine Areas Around Pemba

12.06.2025

Good news for marine conservation in Tanzania: The Tanzanian government has officially designated two new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around Pemba Island in the Indian Ocean. The announcement was made on June 9, 2025, during the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, and marks an important milestone in the protection of marine biodiversity.

The new protected areas cover over 1,300 square kilometers and are located in a region with exceptionally high marine biodiversity. This means another important part of the Pemba region, where marinecultures.org is also active, has now been placed under formal protection.

The MPAs are the result of one of the most extensive community consultation processes in Zanzibar’s marine conservation history: Between December 2024 and March 2025, more than 4,000 community members from 43 villages participated in moderated, village-by-village dialogues. Each community voted, and step by step a shared path toward protection was forged. Local fishers, Shehia leaders, women, and youth actively contributed to shaping the zones and management plans.

“We are proud to be part of something that protects our ocean and secures our future,” says Hadija Rajab Ali, a fisher and community leader from Micheweni District. “This MPA reflects our voice and vision – a sign of what is possible when we take responsibility together.”

The protected areas were developed in close collaboration with local communities, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and other partners. They aim not only to protect endangered habitats such as coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangroves, but also to promote the sustainable use of marine resources.

At marinecultures.org, we warmly welcome this important step. As an active WCS partner in the region, we are proud to be part of a network working together for the long-term protection and sustainable use of Pemba’s marine ecosystems.

Read the full article from WCS here:
https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/24636/Tanzania-Declares-Two-New-MPAs-in-Pemba-Island-Biodiversity-Hotspot-at-UN-Ocean-Conference.aspx

Photo: Community meeting in Pemba with WCS and marinecultures.org, May 2025.

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