Marine & Coastal Conservation

Collaborating with the marine sector and Ministry of Fisheries to advance marine conservation, elevate Namibia’s global reputation, and increase public connection with the ocean.

The Benguela Current Upwelling System off Namibia’s coast is renowned for its rich productivity, driven by strong winds and currents that bring nutrient-rich cold waters to the surface. This dynamic ecosystem sustains the entire southwest African coastline. The Namibian Islands’ Marine Protected Area (NIMPA), spanning 9,500 km2, hosts globally significant populations of seabirds, marine mammals, and diverse marine species. Despite being Africa’s second-largest marine protected area, NIMPA faces threats from overfishing, mining, large-scale mariculture, climate change, ineffective management, and a disconnect between society and marine values. Our primary objective is to enhance the management of NIMPA to protect vital biodiversity and marine ecosystem services, support income opportunities and livelihood diversification for coastal communities, and advocate for the creation of additional MPAs and effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) at the national level.

Key Partners

Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR), Ministry of Environment Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), Benguela Current Convention (BCC), Namibia’s Fishing industries, Fisheries Observer Agency, Blue Marine Foundation; The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB); South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI); Grid-Arendal, Community Skills Development Centre (COSDEC) Benguela; and Namibian Foundation for the Conservation of Seabirds (NAMCOB).

Regions

!Karas region, Erongo region, Kunene region and Khomas region.

Objectives

Assist the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) in strengthening the management of the Namibian Islands’ Marine Protected Area (NIMPA) to conserve critical biodiversity and marine ecosystem services.
Aid the government in designating additional Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to achieve 10% protection within the Namibian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Promote and support other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) at the national level.
Reduce seabird bycatch in Namibia’s fisheries and support the development and implementation of marine spatial planning to enhance overall marine conservation efforts.

2024 Highlights

Collaborated with the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) and the hake industry to achieve a 98% reduction in seabird mortality in the Namibian demersal hake longline fishery, significantly contributing to MSC certification.
Published “Namibia’s Coastal Rays and Sharks: A Guide to Identification and Safe, Responsible Angling Practices”.

For more information regarding the Marine & Coastal Conservation programme. Kindly contact Sharon Kahunda