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Conservation of Coastal and Marine Biodiversity in the Eastern Africa Region

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Conservation of Coastal and Marine Biodiversity in the Eastern Africa Region IUCN Eastern Africa Programme CONSERVATION OF COASTAL AND MARINE BIODIVERSITY IN THE EASTERN AFRICA REGION: Progress in Implementation of the Jakarta Mandate By The Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention April 2001 CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE JAKARTA MANDATE IN THE EASTERN AFRICA REGION A Report to the Fifth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity By The Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention May 2000 2 CONTENTS Preface............................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................ iii Acronyms ...................................................................................................................................... iii Executive summary........................................................................................................................ iv PART I: Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Jakarta Mandate ................................... 1 The Jakarta Mandate and the CBD programme of work on marine and coastal biodiversity......... 2 Regional Processes...................................................................................................................... 3 The Nairobi Convention.............................................................................................................. 3 Implementation of the Jakarta Mandate in the region ...................................................................... 4 Potential Synergies between the Nairobi Convention and the Jakarta Mandate.............................. 10 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................. 13 References .................................................................................................................................... 13 PART II: COUNTRY REPORTS ................................................................................................. 15 COMORES............................................................................................................................... 15 KENYA.................................................................................................................................... 17 MADAGASCAR...................................................................................................................... 18 MAURITIUS............................................................................................................................ 23 MOZAMBIQUE....................................................................................................................... 25 SEYCHELLES ......................................................................................................................... 27 SOMALIA................................................................................................................................ 30 SOUTH AFRICA...................................................................................................................... 32 TANZANIA.............................................................................................................................. 36 TANZANIA - ZANZIBAR....................................................................................................... 38 PART III: REPORTS OF REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS......................................................... 40 UNEP WIOMSA SEACAM WWF CORDIO PRE-COI RECOSIX ANNEX 1: Principal elements of the Jakarta Mandate .................................................................. 45 ANNEX 2: Principal marine and coastal projects in the WIO region relating to the Jakarta Mandate ...................................................................................................................... 47 ANNEX 3: Participants List.......................................................................................................... 48 Preface In February 2000, the IUCN Eastern Africa Regional Office (IUCN-EARO) and the Agricultural University of Norway (NORAGRIC), with funding from NORAD, held a workshop to develop a proposal to assist the States of the Western Indian Ocean implement the Jakarta Mandate on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The workshop was attended by representatives from Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania and from several regional organisations (UNEP, Nairobi Convention, WIOMSA, SEACAM, CORDIO, WWF) and a number of Norwegian institutions. The purpose of the workshop was to: · review progress made in implementing the Jakarta Mandate in each participating country, · identify gaps and priority actions, and · formulate a more detailed project proposal for submission to NORAD. The presentations from national representatives constituted such a useful body of information that it was resolved that they should be compiled into an informal information paper, for submission to the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP5) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in May 2000 by the contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention. The country reviews provide valuable information to complement the existing national reports presented at the COP, many of which pay little attention to marine biodiversity. The report also contributes to the role identified for Regional Seas Conventions and Actions Plans of devising ways and measures as well as a format for reporting to CBD on progress made in the implementation of the Jakarta Mandate. Other regions might look at this as an example, and consider whether they might contribute to the CBD and Jakarta Mandate in a similar manner. This report is a DRAFT and will be revised to incorporate comments and amendments from the contributors before final publication. For further information please contact: Sue Wells or mine Pabari IUCN EARO P. O. Box 68200 Nairobi, KENYA Tel: ++ 254 2 890605-12 Fax: ++ 254 2 890615/407 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] ii Acknowledgements The workshop that led to the initiative to prepare this report, as well as its production, was made possible through the financial support of NORAD and the assistance of the Agricultural University of Norway (NORAGRIC). Grateful acknowledgement is due to all the workshop participants (listed in Annex 3) who contributed information and ideas for this report. Thanks also go to Kate Thuo, Mine Pabari, and Veronica Muthui for assistance with the organisation of the workshop and preparation of this report, and to Gordon Arara for lay-out and preparation of final copy (all at IUCN-EARO). The report was compiled and edited by Sue Wells (IUCN-EARO) and Martin Jenkins (consultant to IUCN), and overall production was co-ordinated by Dixon Waruinge (UNEP). Acronyms ACOPS Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea CBD Convention on Biological Diversity COP Conference of the Parties CORDIO Coral Reef Degradation in the Indian Ocean EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone ENSO El Niño-Southern Oscillation FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations GEF Global Environment Facility ICRAN International Coral Reef Action Network ICRI International Coral Reef Initiative ICZM Integrated coastal zone management IFREMER Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer IMCAM Integrated marine and coastal area management IUCN The World Conservation Union MPA Marine protected area NBSAP National biodiversity strategy and action plan NORAD Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation NORAGRIC Agricultural University of Norway OAU Organization of African Unity PACSICOM PanAfrican Conference on Sustainable Integrated Coastal Management PERSGA Regional Organisation for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden PRE-COI Regional Environment Programme of the Indian Ocean Commission RECOSIX Regional Co-operation in Scientific Information Exchange - WIO SBSTTA Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice SEACAM Secretariat for East African Coastal Area Management SIDS Small Island Developing States UNCTAD United Nations Commission on Trade and Development UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation WIO Western Indian Ocean WIOMSA Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association WWF World Wide Fund for Nature iii Executive summary The conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biological diversity are among today’s most important environmental issues. This is particularly so in the Eastern African region, with its high marine biodiversity, rich marine and coastal resources, and growing human population dependent on those resources. Overexploitation of marine resources, pollution, habitat destruction and degradation all have a serious impact on marine and coastal ecosystems in the region. Of particular concern is coral bleaching, which had a catastrophic effect on reefs in the area in 1998/99 and which is believed to be linked to climate change. Responses to the crisis facing marine and biological diversity have taken place at all scales from the local to the global. At the global level the most
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