News

France has prepared a listing proposal of the subgenus Holothuria (Microthele), included 4 species, in CITES Appendix II. These are: Holothuria fuscogilva, H. fuscopunctata, H. nobilis, H. whitmaei. These species live in between tropics, both in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the eastern African coast to Polynesia. Download the proposal here.

WCS scientists has produced a video showing how they are using GitHub and coding to synthesize information from our large dataset on coral reefs to address questions of climate change. View the video.

The Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention have received funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to execute the Project ‘Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the protection of the Western Indian Ocean from land-based sources and activities’ (WIOSAP). The Project is intended ‘to reduce impacts from land-based sources and activities and sustainably manage […]

OTGA are pleased to inform you that the period for applications for the Training Course on Marine Spatial Planning, to be held between 10 – 14 September 2018 in Mombasa, Kenya, is open until 11 July 2018. Detailed information on the course overview, Objectives, Target Audience, etc., is available on the IOC link https://www.oceanexpert.net/event/2294 as well as the course flyer. Interested candidates […]

The Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is seeking to facilitate partnerships between German and African research institutes, political decision-makers and practitioners with the Initiative ‘MeerWissen – German-African Partners for Ocean Knowledge’. The main objective is to build bridges between German and African marine researchers and African decision-makers, improving the conditions for […]

Kenyan coral marine biologist Nyawira Muthiga won the 2018 Award for Conservation Excellence together with her husband, American marine biologist Timothy McClanahan, in recognition of many years spent advocating community-driven marine conservation in East Africa. Presented by the Banovich Wildlife Escapes Foundation in the US in February, the award comes with a $100,000 cash prize. […]

The Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam in collaboration with the Biodiversity Programme of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) are organizing a Training Course in Coral and Sponge Taxonomy that will be held in Zanzibar, Tanzania from 5-11 August 2018. The training aims at strengthening capacities of members of the WIO national […]

WIOMSA and the Lund University of Sweden are organizing a Regional Workshop on ‘Marine Organisms Response to Climate Change Effects – Adaptation or Extinction?’ that will be held in Mombasa, Kenya from 8 – 10 October 2018, The workshop will aim at furthering our knowledge and specifically to: Synthesize current knowledge about how marine species in […]

The purpose of this post is to request WIOMSA members to provide comments and feedback on the attached draft WIOMSA Adaptive Strategic Plan 2018 – 2023. The document is also available here. The External Evaluation of the MASMA Programme conducted in 2016/2017, found that the WIOMSA Strategic Plan 2005-2020 has largely been achieved. Further, the report observed that WIOMSA […]

Deadlines for completion of online survey and submission of proposals have been extended. The deadline for the completion of online survey has been extended to 15 June 2018 and for the submission of full proposals to 30 June 2018. You can find more information on the call here.