WCS, in coordination with the Mozambique Oceanographic Institute (InOM) and funding from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), organized three regional public consultations (south, center and north) on the Strategy and Action Plan for the Expansion of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) on 21, 24 and 26 March in the cities of Maputo, Beira and Nampula, respectively. Over 190 participants attended the three events, including representatives of the government at the central, provincial and district levels together with the private sector, civil society, academia, community associations and others.
Participants in the public consultation in Maputo
The meeting focused on the strategy for expansion of marine protected areas in Mozambique, with the aim of increasing protection of the economic exclusive zone to 12 % by 2030 and 30 % by 2035. For the analysis and contribution to the action plans corresponding to four main pillars of the strategy, which include the political-legal framework, the creation and expansion of MPAs and OECMs, research and monitoring, and capacity building and financing, the participants were divided into working groups.
In the three regions, the discussions revealed widespread support for strengthening marine conservation, and specific concerns and suggestions were raised. These include the greater involvement of local communities and grassroots organizations in the capacity-building process on marine biodiversity conservation issues and in the implementation of the strategy, the involvement of the private sector, in particular the fishing industry, the importance of constant monitoring of the state of resources and conservation areas or areas managed by communities, the need to carry out the restoration of degraded ecosystems, among several others.
Working group in Nampula
The contributions gathered during these public consultations will be duly considered in order to improve the draft Strategy and Action Plan document, with the aim of ensuring that the final document reflects the views and perspectives of the various stakeholders. It is expected that incorporating these suggestions will result in a more robust, inclusive strategy with a greater chance of success in expanding Mozambique's marine conservation network.