The Tanzanian government announced the designation of two new marine protected areas (MPAs) at the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, last week.
The areas comprise the North-East Pemba Conservation Area and the South-East Pemba Conservation Area, which together span over 1 300 square kilometres. The new MPAs are home to vital climate-resilient coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves, and form a habitat for threatened sharks and rays.
Tanzanian Vice President Philip Isdor Mpango said the country is taking several steps to protect marine ecosystems along Tanzania’s coastline from the triple planetary crises (climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution).
