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WIOMPAN News
20
Aug

New Wings for Marine Conservation: Drone Training Takes Off in Tanzania

August 20, 2026
“This training has taken us to another level of perception.” – Amos Singo, Senior Marine Conservation Warden, MBREMP When the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management and local partners launched the drone pilot training for Tanzania’s marine managers, the goal was clear: equip teams with tools to protect coastal ecosystems more effectively. But the...
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20
Aug

Spotlight on the Western Indian Ocean: The 2026 Blue Park Awards

August 20, 2026
At the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, the Marine Conservation Institute announced the 2026 Blue Park Award winners, casting a well-deserved spotlight on the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. Three of the six prestigious awards were bestowed upon marine protected areas (MPAs) in Madagascar: Nosy Hara, Nosy Tanihely, and Sahamalaza-îles Radama National Parks....
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20
Aug

Empowering Communities for Marine Conservation: Highlights from the 2026 Diani Sea Turtle Festival

August 20, 2026
On June 14, 2026, the Olive Ridley Project – Kenya successfully hosted the 7th Diani Sea Turtle Festival in celebration of World Sea Turtle Day. This free, educational event brought together diverse stakeholders to champion marine conservation and enhance public ocean literacy. Highlighting the importance of community-led ocean management, the festival sponsored the attendance of...
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20
Aug

WIOMPAN Celebrates MPA Day: Highlighting the Human Connection in Ocean Protection

August 20, 2026
In celebration of International Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Day, WIOMPAN hosted a highly successful webinar themed “Ocean Protection Needs Human Connection.” Drawing over 200 experts, site managers, and marine practitioners from across the region and the globe, the event underscored a critical reality: designating MPAs on paper is simply not enough. To achieve ambitious global...
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20
Aug

Madagascar advances national certification framework for the LMMA communities

August 20, 2026
Madagascar is scaling up efforts to formalize and standardize community-based natural resource management along its coastline, with the launch of a national certification model for Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs). The initiative, delivered under the Pêche Côtière Durable (PCD) Project and financed by KfW, brings together the complementary technical capacities of Madagascar National Parks, the...
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20
Aug

Advancing Human Rights-Based Approaches in Marine Conservation: A New Shift in South Africa

August 20, 2026
Can conservation succeed if the people most affected are not part of the decisions? Can Marine Protected Areas be effective if tensions with communities remain unresolved? And can we achieve 30×30 without addressing equity, access, and participation? In March 2026, a new approach to marine conservation began to take shape in South Africa—one that places...
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20
Aug

Strengthening Marine Protected Area’s Management through IMET

August 20, 2026
The Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), through the Tanzania Chapter of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Protected Areas Management Network (WIOMPAN), conducted a training workshop on the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (IMET). The workshop builds on capacity-building programmes conducted in 2023 and 2024 and represents another important step toward strengthening marine protected...
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06
May

Bolstering Institutional Capacity Webinar Series

May 6, 2026
Discover what drives long-term success in Marine Protected Area (MPA) capacity development by joining the second session of this insightful three-part webinar series. Hosted by the MPA Capacity Community of Practice, Blue Nature Alliance, and Colorado State University’s Center for Protected Area Management, this series brings together practitioners and experts from around the globe to...
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27
Mar

Hifadhi Blu Programme Update: Upcoming Systems Workshop

March 27, 2026
The Hifadhi Blu Programme will convene its next Systems Workshop from 22–24 April 2026, bringing together representatives from the newly selected sites across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). This workshop marks a critical transition point between selection and implementation, serving as the foundation for refining site-level interventions through a systems-informed approach. A total of three participants from...
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26
Mar

Discover the Tide Keepers: The Bajuni People of the Indian Ocean

March 26, 2026
  Along the stunning coast where Kenya meets Somalia, the Bajuni people have thrived for generations in deep harmony with the ocean. Tracing their hybrid ancestry to a rich blend of coastal Bantu, Arab, and Persian heritage, the Bajuni are true keepers of the coast. For them, the sea isn’t merely a resource to be...
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