Marine & Coastal Conservation in Tanzania: 2026 Guide

Quick answer: Marine and coastal conservation in Tanzania is moving from isolated protected areas towards coordinated, community-inclusive seascape management. In 2026, Tanzania has gazetted two mixed-use marine conservation areas off Pemba spanning 1,300 km², launched the Mtwara Seascape Multi-Stakeholder Forum and begun planning for a proposed Kilwa Marine Protected Area. However, coral-reef degradation, unsustainable fishing, marine pollution, coastal development and climate change continue to threaten ecosystems and the people who depend on them.

Last reviewed July 2026. Conservation data changes — see the cited sources for the latest figures.

Why marine conservation matters in Tanzania

Tanzania's coastline includes mainland regions from Tanga and Pwani to Dar es Salaam, Lindi and Mtwara, as well as the islands of Unguja and Pemba in Zanzibar. Coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass areas, beaches and tidal habitats support biodiversity while providing food, income and coastal protection.

The country's coral reefs are estimated to cover approximately 3,580 km². More than 70% of coastal communities depend on coral-reef resources as an important livelihood source, and Tanzanian waters contain more than 500 commercially important fish and invertebrate species. These figures explain why conservation is not only a wildlife issue: reef health affects fishing households, tourism businesses, food security and the resilience of coastal settlements.

Important marine species and habitats include coral communities, sea turtles, dugongs, whale sharks, sharks and rays, mangroves and coastal forests. Sea Sense, a Tanzanian marine-conservation organisation, has supported community protection of endangered marine life such as dugongs, sea turtles and whale sharks through environmental education, livelihood support and ecotourism initiatives.

Zanzibar illustrates the close relationship between conservation and local livelihoods. Chumbe Island Coral Park operates a privately managed marine sanctuary and combines low-impact ecotourism with environmental education. Its rangers have also provided marine rescues for local fishers, while education programmes have reached fishers and schoolchildren. On Pemba, conservation work must account for the island's dependence on coastal resources and the needs of fishing communities, including the approximately 400,000 people identified by WildAid as living on Pemba Island.

The main threats to Tanzania's marine and coastal ecosystems

Climate change and coral-reef degradation

Tanzania's national coral-reef action plan states that reefs have been degraded by human activities, climate change and natural factors. It also notes that most reefs remain intact and functionally capable of providing ecosystem services, making protection and restoration especially important rather than futile.

Climate change can increase pressure on reefs, fisheries and coastal communities, but the research used for this guide does not provide a current Tanzania-wide percentage for coral loss or bleaching. The responsible conclusion is therefore qualitative: climate-related stress is an established threat, while the condition of individual reefs varies and requires site-level monitoring.

Unsustainable and destructive fishing

Fishing is essential to coastal economies, but some methods can damage habitats and reduce the productivity of fisheries. WildAid's work in Zanzibar has focused on the problems associated with beach seines, including an island-wide outreach campaign and a Marine Protection System plan for the Pemba Channel Conservation Area.

Effective enforcement is difficult when patrol capacity, funding and community incentives are limited. WildAid reports donating two patrol boats—one to the Mkoani Fisheries Department and one to Marine and Coastal Community Conservation Zanzibar—along with surveillance equipment and training support for community rangers. These interventions address practical enforcement gaps, but they do not remove the underlying need for sustainable fishing rules, fair participation and reliable long-term financing.

Marine plastic pollution and coastal development

Plastic pollution is one of the priorities identified by the Bahari Yetu Project, alongside marine governance, coastal-forest conservation, research and community resilience. Coastal development, waste and poorly planned use of beaches, mangroves and shallow-water habitats can compound pressure on already valuable ecosystems. The available research does not establish a single national tonnage figure for Tanzania's marine plastic pollution, so this article does not provide one.

Weak coordination and uneven local capacity

Marine conservation involves fisheries authorities, marine-park managers, forestry agencies, water-resource institutions, local government, researchers, civil-society organisations and businesses. The IUCN reports that the new Mtwara forum is intended to improve coordination among these bodies rather than replace existing institutions. This is significant because protected-area designation alone does not guarantee effective management; rules must be understood, monitored and enforced, and local communities need meaningful roles in decisions that affect their livelihoods.

What is being done in 2026?

National coral-reef planning

Tanzania's National Action Plan for Conservation of Resilient Coral Reefs covers the country's coastal and marine waters for 2026–2031. Its stated vision is a resilient, sustainably managed coral-reef ecosystem that supports biodiversity, helps mitigate climate change and improves socio-economic well-being.

The plan is important because it frames reefs as connected social and ecological systems. Its scope includes mainland coastal waters and Zanzibar, rather than treating reefs as isolated tourism sites. Implementation will still depend on monitoring, financing, enforcement and cooperation between national and local institutions.

The Mtwara Seascape Multi-Stakeholder Forum

Launched in Mtwara on 30 June 2026, the Mtwara Seascape Multi-Stakeholder Forum brings together government, local communities, research institutions, civil-society organisations and the private sector. The forum forms part of the EU-funded Pamoja Tuhifadhi Bahari Yetu, or Bahari Yetu, Project, implemented by IUCN with The Nature Conservancy, WWF, FORUM CC and the Wildlife Conservation Society as partners.

Bahari Yetu supports improved marine governance, coastal-forest conservation, reduced marine plastic pollution, stronger environmental research and data systems, and greater resilience for coastal communities. The Mtwara forum is intended to improve accountability and accelerate implementation of Tanzania's Blue Economy agenda while complementing existing responsibilities for fisheries, marine protected areas, forestry, water resources and local government.

New and proposed marine protected areas

At the 2026 Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Tanzania formalised the gazetting of the North-East and South-East Marine Conservation Areas off Pemba. Together, these mixed-use zones cover 1,300 km² and include climate-resilient coral reefs and an Important Shark and Ray Area.

Tanzania also committed to begin the process of designating a proposed Kilwa Marine Protected Area of between 1,000 and 2,500 km². The proposed area would include 180 km² of climate-resilient coral reefs, an Important Shark and Ray Area and an Important Marine Mammal Area. The Wildlife Conservation Society estimates that positive spillover effects could reach up to 150,000 people across 30 communities, including communities near Kilwa Kisiwani, a UNESCO World Heritage site. These are proposed or planned benefits, not a completed impact assessment, so they should not be presented as guaranteed results.

Community enforcement and marine protection systems

Community participation is a recurring feature of Tanzania's coastal conservation work. WildAid supported a Marine Protection System plan for the Pemba Channel Conservation Area in 2019, helped partners develop local enforcement capacity and supported training that enabled Tanzanian partners to run subsequent community-ranger courses.

Older but still instructive examples show how local incentives can support conservation. Research cited in a United Nations marine-protected-area policy review describes Sea Sense support for reporting sea-turtle nests, village environment funds near nesting beaches and ecotourism-linked livelihood assistance. These approaches work best when communities receive transparent benefits and when conservation rules are developed with, rather than simply imposed on, coastal residents.

Conservation finance and the Blue Economy

Finance is a central conservation challenge. BIOFIN reports that Zanzibar's Biodiversity Finance Plan identified 13 priority finance solutions for 2022–2026, including crowdfunding for mangrove and coastal restoration, payment for ecosystem services, reform of potentially harmful fisheries subsidies, sustainable seaweed-farming support, a proposed Blue Fund and debt-for-nature swaps for coral-reef restoration.

BIOFIN also reports that Zanzibar launched digital payment and tourism systems intended to improve conservation financing and transparency. Digital systems can make revenue flows easier to track, but their conservation value ultimately depends on how funds are allocated, audited and connected to measurable management outcomes.

Community livelihoods and responsible tourism

Marine conservation cannot be separated from livelihoods. Coastal households may depend on fishing, seaweed farming, farming, tourism or small businesses, and conservation measures can create hardship if they restrict access without alternatives. The Bahari Yetu Project explicitly includes coastal-community resilience, while Zanzibar's finance planning includes sustainable seaweed-farming measures.

Low-impact tourism can contribute through conservation fees, local employment, environmental education and spending with community businesses, although the research supplied for this article does not provide a national estimate of tourism revenue reaching marine conservation. Visitors should therefore ask operators and accommodation providers how they support local conservation, whether activities follow area rules and how wildlife encounters are managed.

Chumbe Island Coral Park is a specific example of conservation-oriented tourism and education rather than a model that can automatically be applied everywhere. Its marine sanctuary, ranger programme and environmental education work demonstrate how a tourism site can combine visitor experiences with protection and learning.

Travellers planning a combined wildlife-and-coast holiday can use SafariFind to compare Tanzania safari and Zanzibar packages, while remembering that a package's conservation claims should be checked with the operator. Budget planning also matters: our guide to Tanzania safari cost in 2026 can help separate the price of a mainland safari from Zanzibar accommodation, transport and marine activities.

Results and setbacks: a balanced assessment

Area	Progress in or relevant to 2026	Remaining challenge
Coral reefs	A national 2026–2031 action plan provides a shared conservation framework; most reefs are described as still intact and functionally capable of providing ecosystem services.	Reefs continue to face human, climate-related and natural degradation, and site-specific condition data remain essential.
Pemba	Two North-East and South-East Marine Conservation Areas were gazetted, together covering 1,300 km².	Mixed-use-area success will depend on compliance, enforcement, financing and fair participation by resource users.
Mtwara	A multi-stakeholder forum was launched to improve coordination across government, communities, research, civil society and business.	The forum is new; its long-term effectiveness and conservation outcomes have not yet been established.
Kilwa	Tanzania committed to begin the process of designating a proposed 1,000–2,500 km² marine protected area.	The area remains proposed, so projected benefits for up to 150,000 people are not yet confirmed impacts.
Enforcement	Patrol boats, surveillance equipment and community-ranger training have strengthened local capacity in Zanzibar.	Destructive fishing, funding needs and the scale of coastal-resource dependence continue to challenge enforcement.

The overall picture is therefore cautiously positive, not conclusive. Tanzania has stronger planning, new protected-area milestones and more emphasis on coordination and finance. Yet these developments must translate into healthier reefs, sustainable fisheries, reduced pollution and secure livelihoods before conservation success can be claimed.

How travellers can help responsibly

• Choose transparent operators. Ask whether marine excursions use licensed guides, follow local protected-area rules and contribute to community or conservation programmes.
• Do not touch coral or marine animals. Avoid standing on reefs, collecting shells or coral, feeding wildlife, chasing turtles or encouraging guides to make unsafe approaches.
• Reduce single-use plastic. Carry a refillable bottle, refuse unnecessary packaging and take waste back when appropriate.
• Support local livelihoods. Use locally owned guides, restaurants, craftspeople and accommodation where possible, and pay fair prices for community-led experiences.
• Respect fishing communities. Do not photograph people, boats or landing sites without permission, and avoid buying protected marine species or undersized seafood.
• Ask for evidence, not slogans. A credible conservation claim should identify the organisation, location, activity, funding pathway and how results are monitored.
• Plan health and logistics carefully. Travellers should consult current official health advice and review guidance on Tanzania health rules for South African visitors before departure.

Marine conservation in Tanzania is strongest when protected areas, science, enforcement, tourism and community priorities reinforce one another. Travellers can book conservation-supporting safaris on SafariFind, but responsible decisions require checking the details of each operator rather than assuming that every marine excursion has the same environmental or social value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current status of marine conservation in Tanzania in 2026?

Tanzania is strengthening marine conservation through a national coral-reef action plan, new Pemba marine conservation areas, the Mtwara Seascape Multi-Stakeholder Forum and planning for a proposed Kilwa Marine Protected Area.

How large are Tanzania's coral reefs?

Tanzania's coral reefs are estimated to cover about 3,580 km².

How many coastal communities depend on coral reefs in Tanzania?

More than 70% of coastal communities depend on coral-reef resources as an important livelihood source, according to Tanzania's 2026–2031 coral-reef action plan.

What are the main threats to Tanzania's marine ecosystems?

The main documented pressures include human-driven reef degradation, climate change, destructive fishing, marine plastic pollution, habitat pressure and limited coordination or enforcement capacity.

What marine areas were newly gazetted in Tanzania in 2026?

The North-East and South-East Marine Conservation Areas off Pemba were officially gazetted in 2026 and together cover 1,300 km² of mixed-use zones.

What is the proposed Kilwa Marine Protected Area?

The proposed Kilwa Marine Protected Area would cover between 1,000 and 2,500 km² and include climate-resilient coral reefs, an Important Shark and Ray Area and an Important Marine Mammal Area.

How does tourism support marine conservation in Tanzania?

Tourism can support conservation through protected-area fees, local employment, community businesses, environmental education and responsible marine excursions. Chumbe Island Coral Park provides a specific example combining low-impact tourism, ranger work and education.

What is the Mtwara Seascape Multi-Stakeholder Forum?

Launched on 30 June 2026, the forum brings together government, communities, research institutions, civil society and the private sector to improve coordination for marine conservation and sustainable Blue Economy activities in Mtwara.

How can visitors help protect Tanzania's marine environment?

Visitors can choose transparent operators, follow protected-area rules, avoid touching coral or wildlife, reduce plastic, support local businesses and refuse to buy protected marine species.

Are Tanzania's coral reefs completely destroyed?

No. Tanzania's coral-reef action plan states that although reefs have been degraded, the majority are still intact and functionally capable of providing ecosystem services.