December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Volume 13 No. 4

Newsbrief

WIOMSA-sponsored Students Graduate with MScs!

Two students registered at the University of Dar es ago, WIOMSA started supporting MSc students to Salaam and fully funded by projects implemented implement some of the aspects of these projects. by WIOMSA, have successfully completed their MSc The approach taken by WIOMSA is beneficial to the degrees. This is the first time, graduate students have students in that it provides an opportunity for them been involved in the implementation of WIOMSA’s to be involved in detailed research -which would projects as part of their degree programmes. otherwise have been implemented through other methods- while providing them with scholarships to Since its establishment, WIOMSA has implemented enable them pursue their MSc degrees. a number of large, regional, long-term projects (at least three years duration). Recent projects include the WIOMSA, through its competitive research grant, Sustainable Coastal Communities and Ecosystems MASMA as well as the Marine Research Grant (SUCCESS) Programme, which WIOMSA is (MARG) programmes, has been providing funds to implementing in collaboration with the Coastal Resource successful individuals and institutions to be used in Center (CRC) of the University of Rhode Island and the supporting research projects. Some part of these grants Transboundary Networks of Marine Protected Areas for has ended up being utilized by students to fund their Integrated Conservation and Sustainable Development: MSc and PhD degree programmes either partially or Mr Ngowo presenting results of his research to the Biophysical, Socio-Economic and Governance fully. However, through SUCCESS and TRANSMAP villagers in Menai Bay Assessment in East Africa (TRANSMAP) Project, in programmes, WIOMSA has for the first time ever which WIOMSA was one of the twelve institutions from directly provided scholarships for three students to (Pelecypoda: Arcidae) in Fumba Peninsula, within and outside the region responsible for different enable them to undertake their MSc degrees at the Island”. It focused on assessing the performance of components of the project. University of Dar es Salaam. The three students small scale community – based marine no-take areas in were: Ms. Rose Sallema of the National Environment A variety of approaches have been used by conservation of cockles (Anadara antiquata). The study Management Council (NEMC), Mr. Jairos Mahenge of WIOMSA and its partners to implement these large analysed the”before” and “after” effect in the reserve, Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park (MBREMP) projects. Part-time staffs, short-term consultants and adjacent and control sites of Nyamanzi, Bondeni and Mr. Redfred Ngowo, also from MBREMP. Ms. volunteers, have been used to implement various and Chaleni in Unguja Island. Biological studies on Sallema and Mr. Mahenge’s were fully funded by the aspects of the projects. For the first time, three years morphometry, reproduction, and larval dispersal were Transmap Project while Mr. Ngowo’s scholarship also conducted to samples of A. antiquata to assess came from SUCCESS. Ms. Sallema and Mr. Ngowo, their reproductive output and factors affecting them. successfully completed their degrees in 2008, while Mr The study found that the mean number of cockles was Mahenge is finalizing his thesis. significantly higher after the establishment of no-take Ms. Sallema’s thesis is entitled “Population Distribution areas than it was before and the mean density of and Differentiation of Mangrove and Rocky Shore cockles in the reserves is higher than in the control sites. Gastropods (Littoraria Spp.) in Dar Es Salaam, This study has many management applications such Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary and Inhaca Island in as the setting of a minimum size limit for cockles to be Mozambique”. As the title indicates, the study assessed collected and based on the information on spawning the spatial scale variation of both mangrove and rocky seasons for cockles, one of the recommendations given shore littorinid species (Littoraria scabra, L. pallescens, was adaption of the seasonal closure of collection L. subvittata, L. intermedia and L. glabrata) based on grounds to allow spawning to take place. species’ population distribution and differentiation in At least four manuscripts from these two theses have these areas. The study revealed a significant difference been submitted to different peer-reviewed journals in littorinid population distribution and differentiation for publication. at both low and high spatial scales where factors such as increased habitat (mangrove) fragmentation and WIOMSA wishes to congratulate Ms. Sallema and distance between habitats might have affected the Mr. Ngowo for completing their theses within the set dispersal of the planktonic larvae of these species. timeframe and more importantly for writing good theses! Also, the lack of shape differentiation among rocky We are also grateful their supervisors, Professors Yunus shore populations compared to mangrove species may Mgaya and Jose Paula for Ms. Sallema and Drs. Rashid indicate that, similar ecological pressures are acting in Tamatama and Narriman Jiddawi for Mr. Ngowo, for a local scale, conditioning the development of specific all that they did to help them complete in time. We also morphological characters. commend Mr. Brian Crawford and Prof Michael Rice for working with Mr. Ngowo from the proposal development Mr Ngowo’s thesis was on “Role of Small Scale stages, through data analysis and eventually to the thesis Community-Based Marine No-Take Areas in writing. Asanteni sana! Ms Sallema in the field Conservation of Anadara Antiquata Linnaeus 1758

Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association • Web: www.wiomsa.org • E-mail: [email protected] • Tel: +255 24 2233472 December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Page 2

Historic Nansen voyage enters final stage By Claire Attwood

The Norwegian research vessel, Dr Fridtjof of biologists to identify marine species, says James Nansen, embarked on the fourth and final stage Stapley, IT and Communications Coordinator of of its historic four-month voyage in the western the ASCLME Project: Indian Ocean when it steamed out of Pemba, Mozambique on November 28. The final leg was “The idea is that, when technology moves completed in Durban on 17 December. forward, you’ll be able to buy genetic “barcode scanners” and with a small piece of tissue, get a Since it departed from Durban, South Africa readout on the species you’re dealing with in a on August 22, the Dr Fridtjof Nansen has few moments, without recourse to keys or even provided a platform for more than 50 scientists taxonomic experts.” from four countries in the region to conduct intensive oceanographic surveys off Madagascar You can read more about this project at and Mauritius and over the remote Mascarene www.fishbol.org. Plateau. It has also hosted receptions and open Humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae, days in the ports of Toamasina, Madagascar; Port with their distinctive long pectoral fins and A basket of splendid alfonsino, Beryx splendens, Louis, Mauritius and Port Victoria, , knobbly heads, were sighted off southern trawled in deep water off Madagascar thereby raising awareness of the ship’s historic Madagascar and at times surrounded the Dr voyage in the countries of the region. Fridtjof Nansen, affording both scientists and temperature, current speed and direction, air “It has been a busy three months, but we are crew with a thrilling eyeball-to-eyeball encounter temperature and air pressure and relayed this absolutely delighted with the hard work and the with these magnificent mammals. data to a satellite. Eventually, the transmitted high levels of enthusiasm demonstrated by the Humpback whales feed in Antactica and information will help oceanographers to gain an scientists at every stage of the voyage,” says Dr migrate to the tropical waters of Madagascar to improved understanding of the strong current that David Vousden, Director of the ASCLME Project. breed and calve. flows from east to west through a deep channel north of Mauritius. They believe that the current is “Once the voyage is complete, the really difficult A short, four day cruise around the island of a major tributary of the South Equatorial Current. job of analysing data and capturing new Mauritius comprised the second stage of the knowledge about the Agulhas and Somali Large Nansen’s 2008 voyage. This was largely an Stage four of the Nansen voyage began in Pemba, Marine Ecosystems will begin.” oceanographic survey, conducted along eight Mozambique on November 28. Over 18 days, the scientific team sampled dipole eddies in the The United Nations-flagged Dr Fridtjof Nansen is transects perpendicular to the island of Mauritius. A range of oceanographic measurements, Mozambique Channel. The survey also continued on loan to the western Indian Ocean region from studies of the upwelling cell in the Delagoa Norway. Its 2008 voyage began on the east coast including water temperature, oxygen, salinity and nutrients were taken and samples of zooplankton Bight region which were started by the African of Madagascar, where bad weather and rough Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP). seas did little to dampen the enthusiasm of a were collected. A single pelagic trawl collected a small number of fish including some lantern This upwelling cell dominates productivity in the team of South African, Malagasy and Norwegian southern part of Mozambique and most of the oceanographers and biologists. On this leg fishes (Myctophidae), a few juvenile barracudas of the voyage, a wide range of oceanographic (Sphyraenidae), tobies (Lagocephalus sp.) measurements were taken, zooplankton samples and flounders (Bothidae) - confirming the were collected and a number of demersal trawls acoustic survey which showed almost no visible were conducted. Bottom trawls were deployed registrations over the entire four-day survey. in tandem with acoustic surveys in an effort to On the third stage of the voyage, scientific establish the productivity, biodiversity and biomass endeavours were yet more varied. Scientists of the marine ecosystem. Specimens collected in investigated a remote ocean region known as each trawl were carefully counted and identified. the Mascarene Plateau. Located in the south Rare species were preserved and stored for further western Indian Ocean, the Mascarene Plateau analysis and tissue samples were taken for genetic is about 2,200km in length and runs from the analysis and to contribute to the Barcode of Life Seychelles Bank at 4oS to the island of Mauritius project. This project aims to improve the capacity at 20oS. The long, fractured plateau is thought to form a barrier to the predominantly westward flow of the South Equatorial Current, causing it to split into a number of tributaries. The team on board the Nansen was hoping to answer a range of questions about the influence of the South Equatorial Current on the Mascarene Plateau and deployed a network of CTD stations, multinet stations and bongo nets, and also conducted a number of demersal trawls. A lot of new information is already coming to light regarding bottom topography, current movements and productivity in this predominantly unknown area of the Indian Ocean. This includes the discovery of a number of new species previously unrecorded or unknown to science. South African scientist, Bradley Flynn, holds Two oceanographic drifters were deployed a specimen of a type of light fish identified as on the third stage of the Nansen voyage. The Fisheries scientist, Jessica Escobar-Porras, is Phosicthys argenteus. It was trawled in deep drifters collected information such as sea surface water off the south coast of Madagascar pictured with a catch of squaliform sharks December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Page 3

east coast of South Africa. ACEP was a major sponsor of leg four and a key participant in the ASCLME Project. A partnership between the ASCLME Project and the FAO’s EAF-Nansen Programme made the 2008 voyage of the Dr Fridtjof Nansen possible. This partnership will be continued in 2009 and 2010, providing a unique opportunity for African scientists and their international partners to gather new and important information about the oceanographic characteristics of the Agulhas and Somali Large Marine Ecosystems. This information is critically important to the development of long-term management strategies for marine resources within these large marine ecosystems. The data and knowledge collected from these oceanographic cruises will provide the foundation for the negotiation of regional-level management agreements between the countries of the western Indian Ocean. With thanks to James Stapley, Tommy Bornman and Isabelle Ansorge Scientist sort the catch on the trawl deck of Dr Fridtjof Nansen FOJO and WIOMSA hold Environmental Journalism Course

FOJO (The Institute for Further Education of communication and interactions. The course accorded farm seaweed and make soap for sale and finally Journalists) of Sweden, in cooperation with the journalists and scientists a chance to engage in a field trip to Menai Bay to the pearl farming and WIOMSA (Western Indian Ocean Marine Science a lively panel debate that succeeded in demystifying jewellery making project. the two professions and thawing of the relationship Association) recently held the first of a two part Journalists happy training course for environmental journalists. The between journalists and scientists, that is often chilly The journalists took a very active part in the training objective of the course was to train journalists in nature and shrouded in mutual suspicion. The course engaging in discussions, brain storming on environmental reporting focusing on coastal journalists carried out a study visit of the Institute of sessions, practical exercises and a very impressive story management in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Marine Sciences (IMS). They received presentations telling night at the end of the workshop. According region and its relation to the global environmental about the Institute and its activities, and toured the to the journalists, the training was a successful situation. The course attracted 16 journalists from laboratories aquarium and the various offices. blend between very informative presentations and , Kenya and Seychelles and was held in interesting field trips and was well worth their time. from the 3rd to the 14th of November 2008. Field trips The course also included a number of field trips One participant summed up the experience in the Tools of the trade where participants had a chance to experience following terms; “Many thanks to WIOMSA, FOJO The course equipped the journalists with some of the practically some of the issues that were presented and our trainers Par and Eva for your time...... The basic tools in covering environment issues with special and discussed during the course. The field trips course is starting point of creating awareness on emphasis on the coastal and marine environment. The included a visit to Bawe Island to learn about environmental issues via journalism and we are journalists were introduced to methods of reporting coral reefs, a trip to Kizimkazi Dolphin Tourism looking forward to the second part of the course.” Association to learn about sustainable dolphin and planning environmental stories. This was done The second part of the course will be held from the tourism and a boat tour to view the dolphins, a through presentations from the course leaders on how 27th of April to the 1st of May 2009 and participants visit to the Kidoti Village sea weed farming project to be environmental journalists, the Maestro Method of have been assigned projects to be presented and where participants learnt how the local women reporting stories and instructional video presentations. explored during this follow up course. The journalists got the opportunity to interact freely with scientists and experts involved in the region’s environmental and coastal sectors and to benefit from their vast knowledge pool. Ten prominent scientists were invited as guest speakers to deliver lectures on topics of interest such as social dimensions of Marine Protected Areas; an introduction to coral reefs; and the impact of human activities to corals; mangroves; fisheries partnership agreements; pollution in coastal waters; oil and gas exploration on the east coast of Africa; impacts of climate change on coral reefs of the WIO; ecotourism and research on tourism: the case study of Chumbe Island Coral Park and finally the challenges and opportunities for artisanal fisheries in Zanzibar. The scientists got a rare and unusual opportunity to package their scientific jargon in a language that the participants could easily understand and also to present this in a way that was considered interesting to journalists and their readers alike. Thawing of relations Another objective of the course was to establish a network between scientists and journalists for future Participants with the villagers at Menai Bay Pearl Farming Project December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Page 4

Environmental Journalism Course: A Participant’s perspective By Lucas Liganga - Zanzibar

To quote the wise words of the UNEP Executive the Western Indian Director, Achim Steiner, the media continue Ocean Marine to play a strategic role in raising environmental Science Association awareness, channelling environmental information (WIOMSA) attracted and inspiring environmental action. Indeed, 16 print and because of the dynamic nature of environmental electronic media information, environmental reporting must be journalists from concerted, consistent and informed. Tanzania, Kenya and the Seychelles. “I think the course was very beneficial to the The journalists, six trainees. We gained a lot of knowledge on marine females and 10 and coastal resources. For example, we learnt males, were a mixture about coral reefs, various types of fish found of old hands in the in the sea, and other marine organism” says journalism profession Deodatus Mfugale, Features Editor with The and newcomers Guardian, Tanzania’s daily English broadsheet. whose contributions He adds: “We also learnt about the threats facing were beneficial to the abundant marine resources in Tanzania - threats both groups. arising from natural processes like climate change During the course Participants of the Environmental Journalism Course but also man-made threats like pollution, gas and facilitated by two oil exploration and drilling, and dynamite fishing.” veteran Swedish were presented and discussed. Opportunities “Coastal communities have always been poor environmental journalists-Pär Nord and Eva-Pia and benefits provided by this environment were regardless of the abundant resources they have, but Worland, we journalists had an opportunity to highlighted during field visits to Bweleo, some 60 from what we learnt during the training, government, interact with scientists and experts well versed with kilometres south of Zanzibar town, and Kidoti. non-governmental organisations and other groups coastal and marine environment issues of the region. In addition, we were also taught about the Maestro could help them access these resources and The scientists and experts came from WIOMSA, method, which I think can be applied in reporting not alleviate poverty,” further comments Mfugale. the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS-Zanzibar) of the University of Dar es Salaam, the World Wide only environmental issues, but also any other issue. He says the case of women groups in Fund for Nature (WWF) Tanzania, the Kenya Kenya Generally, we completed the course more Bweleo working with the Sustainable Coastal Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Chumbe knowledgeable about the coastal and marine Community and Ecosystems (SUCCESS) project Island Coral Park and Dr Matt Richmond, from a resources than before. It is an open secret that is a testimony to this. consulting company, Samaki Consultants. We were the course has sharpened the journalists pens Mfugale made these observations at the end able to establish a network linking ourselves and the to raise coverage of marine and coastal issues of a two-week Environmental Journalism regional scientists for future communication and which do not get much coverage in the media in Course – focusing on coastal management in interactions. They agreed to work closely with us by the Eastern African region. the Eastern African region and its relation to the enabling journalists to access and analyse scientific At the end of the course we were assigned some global environmental situation that was held in information and explore ways to repackage it to investigative environmental stories which will be Zanzibar from 3 to 14 November, 2008. interest the general public. presented during the follow-up course to be held The course, jointly organised by the Institute for Various scenarios of the impacts of human between April 27 and May 1, 2009, at a venue Further Education of Journalists of Sweden and activities on the coastal and marine environment to be decided later. Transdisciplinary workshop on tropical seascapes – an IFS/WIOMSA initiative for young scientists By Maricela de la Torre Castro and Johan Eklof

As part of the ongoing collaboration between the Internatio¬nal Foundation for Science (IFS) and WIOMSA, a transdisciplinary workshop was held in Zanzibar at the end of October. It brought together an international and multidisciplinary group of young scientists and managers to discuss the ecology and management of tropical seascapes. The scientific planning and organization was done together with the Department of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University. The concept of the ‘tropical seascape’ originally focused on the biogeochemical interlinkages between tropical coastal ecosystems like mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs. It has since then been broadened to encompass the important interplay between humans and coastal nature through use of ecosystem goods and services, as well as ecosystem-based management of coastal landscapes. The main aim of the workshop was to transfer knowledge on the ecology, resources and management of WIO tropical seascapes between researchers and managers. The second aim was to Participants to the IFS/WIOMSA Workshop discuss how to put theories of cross-ecosystem and social- December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Page 5 ecological interactions into practice. Another group worked for 2 days, analyzing five highly e) The seascape approach is not in collision important aim was to facilitate the initiation of plausible and important scenarios relating to the with the broader Integrated Coastal Zone new international and transdisciplinary research development of coastal zones: Management, but they rest and focus on cooperation projects. This was done by bringing i) transformation of coastal forests into a different issues. The seascape approach together 40 young and promising WIO and sugar-cane farm for ethanol production in stresses the dynamic links and interactions Swedish researchers with natural, social and mainland Tanzania between ecosystems, as well as between political sciences background. ii) large-scale developments of shrimp farming, humans and nature. To set a baseline for discussions, the workshop iii) novel aquaculture activities in the region, started with invited keynote presentations on iv) tourism and benefits to local people, and Some comments from participants: various topics ranging from fish migration along v) conflicts between fisheries and marine the seascape, coastal mariculture, resource “I work with population genetics, and to me protected areas. conflicts, governance and decentralization. All the seascape approach was very useful” participants then held much appreciated short Each scenario was analyzed from a seascape Oskar Henriksson, Sweden. presentations of how their own work fitted into perspective through review of reports, gathering “The three best things about this workshop the general seascape concept. of collective knowledge and discussions among were: networking opportunities, exposure team members. The results of each scenario After setting the base-line, a three-day scenario to the concept and to other disciplines and discussion were presented during a plenary exercise was initiated with a field trip to schools of thought” session on the last day of the workshop. Nyamanzi (south-east Zanzibar). The main Gavin Gouws, South Africa. objective was to explore the three main tropical The main conclusions from the workshop were: “I may incorporate the seascape concept coastal ecosystems in situ. The participants a) The seascape concept is very useful to into mangrove restoration & conservation first visited the mangrove forest and learned discuss difficult and complex problems including management and implementation” about its associated activities, such as fire-wood in tropical coastal areas. It brings together Mwita Mangora, Zanzibar, Tanzania. collection and bee-keeping. This was followed different elements, facilitating collaboration by a walk through an intertidal and highly between social and natural scientists. “I appreciate the mix of natural and social scientists, the composition of the program species diverse seagrass bed, where seaweed b) The seascape concept is very good for including theory and practice and the farming is also conducted by local women. research planning and understanding of positive and hard working presentations” Finally, the participants went snorkeling on complex interactions. Anonymous. Tele reef by boat, inspecting a small pearl farm c) The seascape concept is a holistic tool that can along the way. be used both in science and policy making. “The short presentations of the participants, The participants were then divided into d) The seascape can be seen both as a concept the scenario exercise and the final working groups (each including natural and and as a management approach. discussion were my top three” social scientists as well as managers). The Anonymous. Information on the biology and ecology of sea cucumber improving By Nyawira Muthiga and Joan Kawaka

The sea cucumber fishery has been also forms an important component a regional sea cucumber project led by active in the Western Indian Ocean of international trade. Despite their the Wildlife Conservation Society and region for many decades and its importance, information on the biology the University of Reunion. Scientists contribution towards supporting the and ecology of sea cucumbers that is from the Universities of Dar-es- livelihoods and income of the fishing useful for management is scarce. salaam, Reunion and Sweden, IH-SM community cannot be underestimated. In October 2005, WIOMSA, through in Madagascar, the Kenya Marine & Since sea cucumbers are solely Fisheries Research Institute and the harvested for the export market, the the Marine Science for Management (MASMA) grant provided funding for Seychelles Fishing Authority composed a fishery generates foreign exchange and multi-disciplinary team that contributed to different aspects of the research. The project commenced in 2006 with the production of a comprehensive regional review (Conand & Muthiga 2007) and culminated in a regional workshop that was held from the 28th to 30th October 2008 at the Baobab Holiday Resort in Mombasa. The main components of the project included species inventories and distribution patterns, the impacts of marine protected areas, the reproductive biology of the key commercial species, the socio-economics and management of the fishery and training in taxonomy and management of the sea cucumber fishery. Although the Participants to the regional Sea cucumber Project project concentrated mainly in Kenya, December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Page 6

Madagascar, Reunion, Seychelles and Thirty-three participants attended the relevant information on sea cucumbers Tanzania, the nature of the fisheries Final Project Workshop from Kenya, from the collective experiences of within these countries should provide Madagascar, Mozambique, Sweden and the investigators. Recommendations information that is also relevant to other Tanzania. They included fisheries officers, obtained from the workshop will be countries in the region. Major findings NGO representatives, lecturers and widely distributed and should contribute from the project have been published scientists with a stake in the management to strengthening the management in peer-reviewed journals and in the of marine resources in the Western of the sea cucumber fisheries in the South Pacific Commission Beche-de- Indian Ocean. The workshop drew on the region. The project investigators would Mer Information Bulletin (www.spc. knowledge gained through the regional like to acknowledge MASMA and all int/coastfish), a global outlet for sea sea cucumber project as well as other collaborators for their support. cucumber information.

WIOMSA participate in the International Year of the Reef 2008 (IYOR)

for local fishermen, and a drawing competition, held for school children, on coastal and marine environment with special emphasis on coral reef. On the 1st of June 2008, a COTS collection day was organized on three reefs of Bawe, Murogo and Nyange, which are located close to the . The main purpose of the activity was to raise people’s awareness of the COTS problem and the value of healthy coral reefs. The event was attended by volunteers and representatives from IMS, Department of Fisheries, One Ocean Divers, Bahari Divers, and Chumbe Island Coral Park. Zanzibar TV and the Swahili Coast magazine covered the event for the media. At the end of the day a total of 721 COTS were collected! The drawing competition involved 26 The ICRI International Year of the In Zanzibar a group of people secondary schools in both Unguja Reef (IYOR) 2008 is a worldwide representing a wide range of interest and Pemba, who submitted a total campaign to raise awareness groups from private companies number of 87 drawings. Out of these, about the value and importance (Chumbe Island Coral Park, One a jury of experts selected 12 of the best Ocean and Bahari Divers); NGOs of coral reefs and threats to their drawings that have been included in a (WIOMSA and CODECOZ); sustainability, and to motivate 2009 calendar. The main objectives of academic institutions (Institute of people to take action to protect producing the calendars were to raise Marine Sciences), and ministries them. As in 1998, when the IYOR awareness on coral reefs and to raise and government departments (the was marked for the first time funds from their sale. The funds from Ministry of Education, Commission of the sale will go towards implementing in Zanzibar, the IYOR 2008 was Tourism and Department of Fisheries) activities designed to raise awareness successfully marked by the came together and formed the IYOR on the need to protect coral reefs. implementation of activities Committee. The Committee identified aimed at promoting, to both the and facilitated the implementation of Implemented activities were funded local people and tourists, the several activities throughout the year. by WIOMSA, the private companies that were members of the IYOR need to conserve and protect Among the activities that were carried out Committee and the Coral Reef coral reefs for the present and included: collection of Crown-of-Thorn Targeted Research Programme future generations. Starfish (COTS), awareness workshops through IMS. December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Page 7

Malagasy Community Leader Wins Prestigious Award

In October 2008, Mr Roger Samba, a community leader of the remote village of Andavadoaka in southwest Madagascar, was announced winner of the prestigious Getty Prize for Conservation for 2008. From 2003, through his efforts he has created a model for seasonal closures as well as for empowering local communities to take on management of coral reefs and related habitats, which is being emulated in Madagascar and other parts of the world. He was also behind the village being awarded the 2007 UNDP- administered Equator Prize. This is a very competitive award with nominations received from all over the world and reviewed by an independent jury of distinguished experts. The award which includes a prize of US$ 200 000, is administered by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and is intended to encourage conservation innovation and heighten public awareness of the need for conservation. The 2008 Getty Prize was centred around the theme of community leadership; one of three rotating themes of the award, the other being political leadership and scientific leadership. Mr Samba who was nominated by the Blue Ventures (a UK-based NGO working in Mr Samba and his family southwest Madagascar), was awarded the prize villages have also created their own protected of the winner and J. Paul Getty. Samba will use in recognition of his leadership in establishing areas for octopus. The government of Madagascar his award to establish fellowships for students the community run no-take zone for octopus in has also used the Andavadoaka model to create pursuing masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral his village as well as for influencing the Malagasy similar seasonal closures across the country.” degrees in conservation-related fields at a government to enact legislation that provides university of his choice in Madagascar. for and recognizes seasonal closures. Alasdair The award is unique in that it not only recognizes Harris, the Director of Scientific Research at Blue today’s leaders in conservation but also helps WIOMSA congratulates Mr Samba for this Ventures, was quoted as saying “based on the develop conservation leadership for tomorrow outstanding achievement and wishes him the experience of Andavadoaka, eight neighbouring by establishing graduate fellowships in the name best of luck in his work.

MARG and MASMA Grants issued

i) Is there a Western Indian Ocean “Coral WIOMSA Marine Research MASMA Open and Triangle? - David Obura and Melita Samoilys, Coastal Oceans Research and Grants II and III Commissioned Development in Indian Ocean (CORDIO) WIOMSA approved 33 MARG II and III projects Competitive Research ii) Small-scale community-based, grow-out out of 57 applications received In 2008, some 149 open research and 15 aquacultures of mud crabs Scylla serrata During May – October 2008, WIOMSA received commissioned research applications received as a sustainable livelihood in East Africa and processed 9 MARG II applications from - Per Moksnes, University of Gothenburg Comores (1), Kenya (3), Mauritius (1) and Unlike the previous years, WIOMSA announced and David Mirera, Kwetu Training Centre Tanzania (4). Among these, 6 were approved two Calls for MASMA Open Competitive iii) Incorporating reef fish spawning aggregations and the successful projects were implemented in Research Proposals in 2008. For the first into optimal designs for no-take fishery Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden. Call, WIOMSA received a total of 93 open competitive applications that included 5 reserves: Strengthening fisheries management During the same period 48 MARG III proposals to produce publications, 12 proposals and coral reef resilience in the Western Indian applications were received from various countries to hold training courses and workshops and 76 Ocean - Jan Robinson, Seychelles Fishing including Australia (1), Eritrea (1), France (1), Letters of Intent to conduct research. Among Authorities and Melita Samoilys, CORDIO Kenya (13), Madagascar (1), Mauritius (2), the LoI received, a total of 13 were selected by iv) A molecular consideration of Western Portugal (1), La Reunion (7), Seychelles (1), the MASMA PC and invited for development Indian Ocean marine fish connectivity South Africa (3) and Tanzania (17). A total of 27 into full proposals. The submitted full proposals and differentiation at multiple spatial and successful applicants from six countries from the were then reviewed further by both the PC and temporal scales and its implications for Western Indian Ocean were awarded financial also the external reviewers who approved 5 for conservation and resource management - support to participate and present their research funding as follows: Gavin Gouws, South African Institute for findings in various conferences, workshops and Aquatic Biodiversity and Jérome Bourjea, symposiums around the world. Institut Francais de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer December 2008 WIOMSA Newsbrief Page 8

v) The spatial behaviour of artisanal fishers. ii) Global Markets and the Livelihoods For the second Call, a total of 56 applications Implications for fisheries management of Coastal Communities in the WIO were received comprising 2 for producing and development - Tim Daw, Overseas Countries: Implications for Sustainable publications, 9 for training courses and Development Group, University of East Coastal Management – Huruma workshops and 45 letters of intent to conduct Anglia, Joshua Cinner, James Cook Sigalla, Department of Sociology and research. One application for publication University and Andrew Wamukota, Anthropology, University of Dar es Salaam and one for training courses were selected Wildlife Conservation Society for further development where as 8 letters of iii) Analysis of Benefits from Coastal intent were invited to develop full proposals. Four commissioned topics were announced in Resources and Mechanisms for Equitable The Programme Committee is meeting in early 2008. These attracted 15 research proposals. Three Benefit Sharing in Selected WIO Countries February 2009 to discuss these full proposals. proposals were approved for funding as follows: - Pius Z. Yanda, Institute of Resources i) Migrant Fishers and Fishing in the Western Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam Indian Ocean: Socio-economic dynamics and Rachel Wynberg, Environmental and implications for management - Evaluation Unit, University of Cape Town Innocent Wanyonyi, CORDIO

Mizingani Street, House No. 13644/10 P. O. Box 3298, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania The Executive Secretary Phone: +255 24 2233472 Western Indian Ocean Fax: +255 24 2233852 Marine Science Association E-mail: [email protected] (WIOMSA) Web: www.wiomsa.org