Volume 1, Issue 1 | June 2020 Our Ocean, Our People NEWSLETTER What You Will Find Inside 1. A background on the Shimoni-Vanga Seascape 2. Updates on our activities - community projects, multi stakeholder forum, community marine stewardship, and urban research and development C O A S T A L A N D M A R I N E R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T ( C O M R E D ) BACKGROUND ON THE SHIMONI- VANGA SEASCAPE The Shimoni-Vanga Seascape shown in the map on the next page Among the key drivers lies in Kwale County on Kenya’s South Coast, bordered by leading to the Msambweni (Funzi Bay) to the north and Tanzania to the south, environmental degradation covering a total area of 86,000 Ha. of the seascape is the lack of cohesion among Adjacent to the seascape are several villages that include stakeholders in the use and Shimoni, Majoreni, Vanga, Jimbo, Kiwegu, Jasini, Kibuyuni, management of its natural Wasini and Mkwiro. resources, fueled by weak community organisation, Abundant in flora and fauna, this ecosystem is critical to local non-compliance of fishery communities who are dependent on its natural resources and regulations, poor thus highly vulnerable to its degradation and destruction. institutional support and weak enforcement of The majority of the 18,000 people living within the Shimoni- existing laws and policies. Vanga Seascape depend on fishing, farming, mangrove harvesting, tourism and trade for their livelihoods. Sadly today, the seascape faces a myriad of challenges: C O A S T A L A N D M A R I N E R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T ( C O M R E D ) 01 Community: Loss of customary access rights, low income returns, increased competition for resources with commercial users, poor fishery and fish marketing Resilience of the Shimoni-Vanga infrastructure, lack of alternative livelihoods, youth Seascape can therefore be unemployment, loss of local and indigenous knowledge, lack supported through: of access to lucrative markets, limited access to credit for fishers, low literacy levels Ensuring that the integrity of Mangroves: Over-exploitation, illegal logging, pollution habitats and biodiversity and deterioration of mangroves, as well as devastation to within the seascape is the ecosystem caused by climate change enhanced; Coral Reefs: Coral bleaching, over-harvesting of reef Reducing pressure on resources, destructive fishing practices and unsustainable mangrove resources from tourism domestic and commercial Beaches: Beach erosion, trampling of turtle nests, usage; pollution, flooding, and infrastructure development Diversifying and strengthening Seagrass beds: Destructive fishing, pollution, dredging, alternative community boating activities, climate change, over-exploitation of key livelihoods; species critical to this ecosystem Sharing and documenting Marine animals and plants: Habitat destruction, injury lessons learned and from boat strikes (caused by unsustainable fishing and indigenous knowledge for tourism), accidental catches, poaching better use and management of seascape resources; and Strengthening institutional seascape governance capacity. The COMRED-led activities highlighted in this newsletter are geared towards collaborative, collective and strategic community action within the seascape with the goal of building its social, economic, and ecological resilience. These activities build on past projects of establishment of Community Conservation Areas (CCAs-EAWLS) and development of the Shimoni-Vanga Joint Co- management Area Plan (JCMAP- Map of the Shimoni Vanga Seascape KCDP) among others. C O A S T A L A N D M A R I N E R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T ( C O M R E D ) 02 SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES TO PREPARE AND IMPLEMENT PROJECTS His Excellency the Governor of Kwale County (Hon. Salim Mvurya) and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative (Ms. Mandisa Mashologu) during the launch of GEF-SGP-UNDP projects in Shimoni on 9th Oct 2019 The problems faced in the Shimoni-Vanga Seascape area can be COMRED, with support from solved by communities with support from governments and the GEF-Small Grants development partners. Programme (SGP), is providing oversight and However, inadequacy of local communities’ capacity to develop technical guidance, and implement projects/businesses coupled by uncoordinated mentorship, monitoring of seascape activities has impeded the development of long-term activities, liaison with solutions to these problems. government agencies and organisation of publicity The strategic support provided by COMRED is of benefit to 15 events to community community projects implemented by Wasini Beach Management projects, with the goal of Unit (BMU), Wasini Women Group, Kibuyuni BMU, Vanga BMU, addressing the challenges Jimbo BMU, the Indian Ocean Water Body, Majoreni BMU, facing the seascape. Shimoni BMU, Shimoni Slave Caves, Mchongo Self Help Group, Pwani Fish Marketing, Mkwiro BMU, Mkwiro Eco-friendly Conservation Group, Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD) and Levite Foundation. C O A S T A L A N D M A R I N E R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T ( C O M R E D ) 03 These projects are geared towards improving livelihoods, training and building the capacity of community members, improving fishing infrastructure, rehabilitating and managing Impact to Date ecosystems, improving local waste management systems, and sensitising and creating awareness on ecological conservation 147 community members and sustainable management. from 60 community groups (CBOs and BMUs) trained on Some of the lessons learned so far include the necessity of a proposal development needs assessment when dealing with wider groups, the 15 community-based projects importance of effective communication and early planning funded to an amount of USD (timelines, budgeting) for project success, the critical need for $400,000 from GEF and USD gender mainstreaming and community ownership of projects, $75,000 raised in co- and the importance of wide ranging and regular community financing by grantees and sensitisation efforts. their partners 27,000 mangrove seedlings raised Increased capacity of 15 grantees to design and manage projects 1 Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) extended and three surveyed and darmacated 112 women trained on fish processing and entrepreneurship Shimoni-Vanga Seascape Strategy COMRED has also, through a consultative process, developed a 5-year seascape strategy to guide implementation of Shimoni- Vanga Seascape projects up to 2021. The overarching long-term objective of the Seascape Strategy is to build social, economic, and ecological resilience in seascapes through community-based activities. The seascape approach encourages cross-community interactions and synergies among community projects, enabling harmonisation of activities to optimise protection, manage trade- offs and ensure sustainability. C O A S T A L A N D M A R I N E R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T ( C O M R E D ) 04 ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THE SHIMONI-VANGA SEASCAPE MULTI-STAKEHOLDERS FORUM Emerging issues in the Shimoni-Vanga Seascape have attracted The Kwale County many local, national, and international stakeholders, interested government, with support in conserving and enhancing the management and use of its from COMRED and natural resources. However, inadequate coordination and Naturecom (through the alignment of activities has been a problem. GEF - SGP) have established a multi-stakeholder forum If natural resources are to be utilised and managed sustainably, comprising both national then coordination is necessary to align and harmonise projects, and county governments activities and initiatives undertaken within the seascape. and non-state actors. The main goal of the forum is to develop a long-term working The inaugural meeting was relationship among stakeholders in the Shimoni-Vanga Seascape held on January 14th, 2020, in regard to coastal and marine natural resource use, with subsequent meetings management and development. This will enhance effective and taking place quarterly. collective decision-making and strengthen conservation of natural resources. C O A S T A L A N D M A R I N E R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T ( C O M R E D ) 05 Specific objectives of the Shimoni-Vanga Seascape Forum are: Bringing actors together with the purpose of building a Membership of the Forum shared vision and a shared prosperity. Creating a platform for dialogue among actors on emerging The forum is open to issues and developments. organisations, institutions and Assimilating and disseminating information on conservation, private entities within and management, development initiatives/projects, outcomes beyond the Shimoni-Vanga and impacts. Seascape with interest in Aligning and coordinating seascape natural resource seascape coastal and marine conservation and management activities for effective use resources management, and management. utilisation and development. Facilitating effective and collective decision-making to strengthen conservation of natural resources. Current membership include: State actors (Statutory Agencies) Non-State Actors: Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and the Private Sector Academic and research institutions Prospective members with presence in the seascape should contact the secretariat (Director Sustainability of the Forum of Fisheries, Kwale). During the inaugural meeting held in January 2020, members agreed on the following measures to ensure sustainability: Further information concerning the forum can be found on the Meetings to be held quarterly or depending on need; Memorandum of establishment. Meetings to be held within the seascape area; Financing model; Members to support their own participation in Forum activities Cost-share with large projects by government and non-state actors Draft joint funding proposals and implementation Encourage members to include Forum costs as part of their proposals C O A S T A L A N D M A R I N E R E S O U R C E D E V E L O P M E N T ( C O M R E D ) 06 ADVANCING MARINE STEWARDSHIP Capacity building is vital in empowering communities to fully As key community-led user participate in resource governance and management.