Webinar Series on Marine Spatial Planning The Nairobi Convention and SwAM- the Swedish Agency of Marine and Water Management, are hosting a webinar series on marine spatial planning in the first quarter of 2023. “We are expecting around 40 participants from six countries in East Africa’s Western Indian Ocean region”, says Ida Lindbergh, analyst at…
WIO Symphony for a Sustainable Western Indian Ocean The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is a region of immense ecological diversity that is home to a range of ecosystems, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves. These ecosystems provide vital services, such as food and protection from natural disasters, to over 60 million people in the…
Through Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and a Regional Information Management Strategy (IMS) Our oceans and seas are the planet’s largest ecosystem. As such, they play a huge role in influencing climates and are vital to our blue economies. As such, we should be obligated to use ocean and sea resources sustainably, for future generations. The…
The Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Scientific Symposium is the largest open scientific conference focused on the marine and coastal environment in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). It is a unique, regionwide, and global platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, capacity development, strategic action, and cooperation. The 12th edition of the WIOMSA Scientific Symposium…
Launch of the WIO Symphony Tool The WIO region’s ocean assets are of high value but are under immense pressure from unsustainable exploitation. Better marine spatial planning (MSP) is therefore dire, in order to meet local and global demands on the limited ocean resources and secure the assets for continued economic and social benefits for…
Mini Symposium: Launch of the ‘WIO Symphony’ tool for regional cumulative impact assessment in the WIO – a transparent support tool for ecosystem-based Marine Spatial Planning This mini-symposium will launch ‘WIO Symphony’, a product of 4-year cooperation with contributions from over 50 members of Nairobi Convention member states and international partners. WIO Symphony is a…
Special Session: Addressing the Three Planetary Crises Through the Implementation of the Western Indian Ocean Strategic Action Programme The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is recognized globally for its unique biological richness, natural beauty and high ecological and socio-economic value. The WIO region’s coastal habitats, which include coastal forests, sand dunes, beaches, rocky shores, mangroves, seagrass…
South Africa’s coastal environment is a rich and diverse national asset that provides economic and social opportunities for its coastal communities. South Africa is a maritime nation with jurisdiction over one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the world, at 1.5 million square km. Therefore, our ocean represents a significant asset for current and…
Marine Spatial Planning and Information Management Capacity Building Workshop This workshop will aim to promote shared learning on Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) implementation at national and regional levels for sustainable management of the coastal and marine resources in the WIO region and its contribution to information management. The workshop will highlight the datasets needed for…