Mozambique

Status: In-depth

An in-depth law and policy analysis that assessed the potential application of Marine Conservation Agreements (MCAs) in Mozambique was undertaken in 2010 as part of a comparative analysis of countries bordering the Western Indian Ocean. The complete report with all references can be downloaded from the resource box on the right.

Quick Peek — MCA Implementation: Though ownership of submerged lands is vested in the state, it may transfer the rights of use if it wishes. This study identified two large-scale MCA projects operating in Mozambique where this has occurred. Read more below >>

Overview

With its extensive coral reefs, mangrove forests, sea grass beds coastal lagoons, as well as large populations of endangered sea turtles and dugongs, the coastal zone of Mozambique is unique in East Africa.11,12 Despite a coastline of almost 3000km in length, Mozambique has just 5 MPAs covering around 3% of its territorial waters.1

Marine Protected Areas in Mozambique
Site	IUCN Category	Size (km2)	Date established	Governance type
Bazaruto	II	1430	2001	Government
Ilhas da Inhaca e dos Portugueses	VI	1	1965	Government
Quirimbas	--	1522	2002	Government
North Quirimbas	--	230	2008	Private
Vilanculos	--	80	2000	Private

Legal and Policy Framework

Protected areas are established under the Forestry and Wildlife Act 1999.2,3 In addition, although there is no MPA-specific legislation, decree 16/96, the Marine Fishery Regulation, permits the designation of National Marine Reserves, Nature Marine Parks and “protected marine areas.”2 The table below summarizes key law and policy relating to use and conservation of marine resources.4

Key policy and legislation relating to marine and coastal protection
Policy or Law	Relevance
Policies and Frameworks
National Environmental Management Program (NEMP, 1995)	Overarching national environmental strategy seeking to promote and implement sound environmental policy.
Land Policy (1995)	Maintains the fundamental tenet that land ownership is vested in the State but recognizing traditional usage rights
National Strategy and Action Plan for the Conservation of Biodiversity	Plan to meet the targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Appendix 1) including conservation of marine resources
Fisheries Policy and Implementation Strategy (1996)	Aims to maximize economic benefits whilst ensuring sustainable harvesting of the resource
National Tourism Strategy and Policy	Recognizes the need to develop tourism sustainably and promotes private sector investments
Legislation
Framework environment law (1997)	Legal and institutional framework for the management of Mozambique's environment
Land Law (1997)	Determines that the land is State property and may not be sold. Provides a further legal basis for designating protected areas
Forestry and Wildlife Act (1999)	Establishes protected areas
Fisheries Law and Regulations	Governs the adoption of an array of fisheries management and conservation measures
Local Organs Law	Enables district authorities to propose and designate protected areas through their land use planning powers

Owners and Managers

Responsibility for overall environmental management rests with MICOA, The Ministry for the Co-ordination of Environmental Affairs. The mandate for protected areas sits with the Ministry of Tourism, under the DNAC (National Directorate for Conservation Areas) as tourism is seen to be an avenue for financing conservation. The National Directorate for Environmental Management within MICOA facilitates the identification of MPA and bolsters management. Finally, both the Institute for Development of small scale Fisheries (IDPPE) and the National Fisheries Research Institute (IIP) handle fisheries issues relating to MPAs.2,3,5,6

MCA Implementation and Examples

Though ownership of submerged lands is vested in the state, it may transfer the rights of use if it wishes.2,7 Indeed, this study identified two large-scale MCA projects operating in the country where this has occurred.

Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary

The Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary (VCWS) is situated just south of Bazaruto National Park, in an area of high marine endemism. Rights over the 300km2 sanctuary (80km2 of which is marine, the rest, terrestrial) were granted to private consortium East African Wildlife in 2000 through a 50 year concession. The concession was awarded on merit, in return for the promise of significant commercial investment and the creation of at least 150 jobs for the local community. Revenues from tourist levies and visitor fees accrue in a Community Development Fund, which is expected to generate USD70,000 per annum: funds that can be used and distributed by the local community as they see fit.7

North Quirimbas

In 2001, the Maluane initiative, a partnership between the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), local communities and the private sector, won a concession to manage an area of 230km2 around Vamizi Island in northern Quirimbas, close to the Tanzanian border. The project supports the socioeconomic development of local communities through up-market ecotourism. As in the Vilanculos example above, tourist levies are reinvested in the community). Other economic incentives include employment, social services and micro-enterprise.8 See the full Mozambique—Northern Quirimbas field project in this toolkit.

The Future

An additional two further projects are suspected to be MCAs but insufficient evidence was available to confirm this. These are: the Varanda private reserve in northern Mozambique, the owners of which have acquired rights to manage a small coastal lagoon as a no take zone for ecotourism;9 and the Praia da Rocha resort in the south of the country, which has negotiated a reduced fishing effort along its shoreline.10

Taken together, these examples show that MCAs are a viable strategy for the conservation and management of marine resources in Mozambique. Implementing partners could therefore include the Zoological Society of London and the WWF, which has completed projects in Quirimbas and Bazaruto National Parks.11

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