Kenya is edging closer to designating a new marine Ramsar site along the South Coast.
The Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) is leading efforts to have the Msambweni–Vanga seascape recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
The proposed designation, covering about 700 square kilometres from Msambweni to Vanga in Kwale County, is intended to strengthen marine conservation while safeguarding livelihoods for coastal communities dependent on fishing, tourism and other marine-based activities.
Senior Principal Research Scientist at WRTI and Head of the Coastal and Marine Research Centre in Malindi Dr. Mohamed Omar said the initiative was being implemented under the ‘Go Blue Programme’ funded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Union.
Omar said the ramsar proposal builds on gains made under the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park and Reserve ten-year management plan (2015–2025), whose conclusion has necessitated a shift towards a broader, seascape-level conservation approach.
“With the end of the Kisite-Mpunguti management plan, there is a need to move beyond single protected areas and embrace a landscape-scale approach that connects conservation and sustainable use across the Msambweni-Vanga seascape,” said Omar.
He explained that ramsar designation promotes the “wise use” of wetlands, allowing communities to continue benefiting from marine resources while ensuring long-term sustainability.
“Ramsar is not a park. It allows sustainable use of resources so that present and future generations can benefit,” he said.
Omar noted that Kenya currently protects less than one per cent of its marine ecosystems, far below global targets set under the Global Biodiversity Framework, which requires countries to conserve 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030.
“Ramsar designation is one of the effective measures that can help Kenya increase marine areas under protection as we work towards the 30 per cent target by 2030,” he said.
He said WRTI has undertaken management effectiveness assessments and reviewed management plans for marine protected areas along the South Coast, including Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park and Reserve and the Diani-Chale area, to inform the ramsar proposal.
To demonstrate the value of conservation, Omar said the institute conducted a cost-benefit analysis for the Msambweni–Vanga seascape, which showed that economic returns from conservation outweighed the cost of managing marine ecosystems.
“The benefits from fisheries and tourism are far higher than the costs of managing these resources,” he said, adding that fish from the area is sold as far as Mombasa, while tourism provides direct income to local communities through boat transport and related services.
Omar said consultations with local communities indicated strong support for the ramsar proposal, citing tangible benefits already derived from conservation-linked tourism.
“Communities appreciate conservation because they can see the benefits from tourism and sustainable fisheries, and they have recommended expanding conservation through ramsar designation,” he said.
He added that WRTI is currently compiling documentation for submission to the Ramsar Secretariat while intensifying community sensitisation across the proposed site.
As part of community empowerment efforts under the Go Blue Programme, WRTI has trained about 60 community members on natural resource management, financial management, entrepreneurship, tourism marketing and environmental conservation.
Omar said the institute is engaging partners to scale the initiative into a national marine leadership training programme aligned with Kenya’s blue-economy agenda.
Existing community-managed marine areas in Vanga and Kibuyuni will be incorporated within the Ramsar framework, with management to be undertaken jointly by government agencies and local communities.
“The whole ramsar site will be managed through a partnership between government and communities, which is why empowering local people is critical,” said Omar.
He said the designation is expected to secure long-term conservation and livelihoods beyond the lifespan of the Go Blue project.
By Chari Suche
