Wasini Island community rallies together to protect marine ecosystem

Residents of Wasini Island in Kwale County have received a major boost in their efforts to conserve marine ecosystem as the area continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change.

The community received a Sh3 million grant from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Small Grants Programme and the Global Environment Facility to conserve key marine ecosystems such as sea grasses, coral reefs and waste management at the beach.

The residents, under the Wasini Beach Management Unit (BMU), will be required to undertake various projects in the next one year amid declining marine resources such as fish catch, a critical source of food and livelihood in the community.

BMUs are made up of people who depend on fisheries for their livelihood, and manage the beach in collaboration with the government.

“We are facing a lot of challenges as a coastal community. Our fish no longer have proper grounds for breeding since sea grasses and corals are bleaching or being destroyed by human activities,” said Mohammed Kassim, Wasini Beach Management Unit secretary.

He noted that despite climate change effects such as coral bleaching, a section of fishermen are still using harmful and illegal methods of fishing that end up destroying marine ecosystems.

Consequently, fish stocks have declined.

Wasini Island, located in Kwale County, is also a famous tourist attraction neighbouring the Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park, where both local and international tourists visit to watch dolphins and beautiful coral gardens under water.

Mr Kassim said the conservation boost, including waste management and initiatives providing marine education to the community, will also have a direct impact on the community, which depends on tourism as a key source of income.

“If we do not do the clean-ups, the sea will remain polluted and marine organisms will thus be endangered by the plastics. Dolphins always mistake microplastics for feed. If dolphins die, it means there will be no tourist attraction in our area,” said Mr Kassim.

The community is currently engaging in the restoration programme in partnership with experts from the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI).

According to KMFRI scientist Jelvas Mwaura, the last decade has seen a high decline in ocean resources due to environmental-related reasons, and if action is not taken, the effects will negatively impact coastal communities.

He explained that many fishermen are using the wrong fishing methods, which create more damage when coupled with climate change effects.

For instance, he explained that trawling is supposed to happen in the deep sea, where trawler nets are supposed to go 40 to 60 metres deep, but since fishermen cannot cover that distance with their small boats, they fish near the coastal area, destroying sea grasses and coral reefs that are closer to the surface.

He however, lauded the community for coming up with the initiative to protect the marine environment, adding that other marine stakeholders will join in to create a favourable environment for organisms living in the ocean.

“We are now using the community as well as other marine stakeholders and experts. It is much easier when the community has accepted to be part of the process.”

He noted that the local community has restored two hectares of coral reefs and sea grass in past years, adding that the project will help to conserve four hectares in a community conservation area.

“This is a good initiative. It means that the more degraded areas are restored, there will be more corals and more fish for the community,” he said, adding that enhancing fish breeding sites will also have a ripple effect on fish population in other coastal areas in Mombasa, Kilifi and Kiunga.

This comes even as coastal communities in Kenya continue to reel from effects of climate change. In 2024, many got affected by strong winds caused by cyclones in other parts of the world. Vanga residents in Kwale County were victims of unusual rising sea water levels that saw ocean water reach their villages for days before subsiding.

Residents of Mkwiro village in Wasini Island are also the recent victims of coastal erosion, where key community areas such as graveyards risk being swept away by rising sea water levels.

Coast Development Authority Director Geoffrey Rono said more support for restoration efforts in Coast region will not only help protect their local communities’ livelihoods, but also help them adapt to the climate change effects.

 [email protected]