Entire regions of the world’s oceans, otherwise known as Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs), are under threat from overfishing, pollution, invasive species, climate change and other human activities. Because LMEs are either shared by multiple countries or beyond any one country’s national jurisdiction fighting back against their degradation requires strong ocean governance.

The Nairobi Convention (NC), whose ten member states have come together to form a partnership to combat ocean degradation and strengthen the protection and sustainable management of the WIO region  is a natural platform through which cross-country governance issues can be addressed.

The NC’s SAPPHIRE project, funded by the Global Environment Facility, promotes policy and institutional reform to help improve the management of the Western Indian Ocean LME. It will build capacity among governments, communities, partners, intergovernmental organizations and the private sector in sustainable resource management and ocean governance.