Authorities in Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous region of the United Republic of Tanzania, have called for intensified measures to protect the nation’s coral reef ecosystems, recognising their foundational role in sustaining both marine biodiversity and the growing blue economy.
Speaking at the official unveiling of the National Action Plan for the Conservation of Resilient Coral Reefs on Tuesday, Rashid Ali Salim, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office for Labour, Economy and Investment, emphasised the ecological and economic imperatives of reef protection. The new action plan, which reflects both national policy direction and international conservation benchmarks, targets key threats such as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, environmental degradation, and the escalating impacts of climate change on Tanzania’s coastal and marine systems.
Coral reefs play a pivotal role as spawning and nursery habitats for numerous marine species, supporting local food security and sustaining coastal livelihoods. Their biological productivity and aesthetic appeal have also been central to the region’s growing appeal as an international tourist destination. Locations such as Mafia Island, Tanga, Mtwara and the coastal stretches near Dar es Salaam have witnessed increased tourism traffic, partly attributed to the success of conservation interventions over recent years.
Salim referenced the docking of a cruise vessel carrying approximately 154 tourists at Mafia Island in the previous year as a tangible outcome of such preservation efforts. Marine ecotourism is emerging as a significant component of the Tanzanian blue economy, a concept aligned with the broader African Union Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14, which seeks to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”
Scientific studies have long indicated that coral reef ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse and economically valuable ecosystems on Earth. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, coral reefs support approximately 25% of all marine life and contribute an estimated US$375 billion annually in ecosystem services globally. However, they remain highly vulnerable, with rising ocean temperatures and acidification causing widespread bleaching events.
Salim called on coastal communities, non-governmental conservation institutions, and international development partners to lend practical support to the implementation of the national action plan. The initiative aims not only to preserve ecological assets but also to align Zanzibar’s marine governance with global environmental frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
While efforts to conserve marine biodiversity have been ongoing in Tanzania through frameworks such as the Marine Parks and Reserves Unit, the newly launched plan is seen as a more coordinated approach to ensure resilience and adaptive capacity in reef systems across the archipelago and mainland.
As East African nations continue to explore marine-based economic models, Zanzibar’s renewed commitment to reef conservation demonstrates the interplay between environmental stewardship and economic diversification. The challenge now lies in translating planning into measurable, community-driven action with robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
