WIOMSA Dugong Project Going Strong

Abu Dhabi/Cape Pettenburg, 15 February 2016 – The Head of the Dugong MOU Secretariat, Dr. Donna Kwan, participated in a meeting to discuss the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Project entitled ‘Dugongs (Dugong dugon) of the Western Indian Ocean Region: Identity, Distribution, Status, Threats and Management’ in Cape Pettenburg, South Africa. The purpose was also to explore areas of potential collaboration between the project and various initiatives being supported by the Dugong MOU Secretariat.

The WIOMSA Dugong Project objectives are to identify the historical and current extent of seagrass habitat and distributions of dugongs; identify any population structure within global populations and any population discreteness within the region; identify any anthropogenic vectors of population decline within ‘hot spots’; and formulate and implement dugong management and conservation protocols specific to ‘hot spots’ so as to mitigate threats. The project is now in its second year and was designed to align with the objectives of the Dugong MOU Conservation and Management Plan.

At the meeting it was agreed that partners report to the third Meeting of Signatories of the Dugong MOU, and work together to submit new funding proposals to apply the incentive approach – to encourage the conservation of seagrass ecosystems through identifying drivers for behavioural change for destructive practices – in Kenya and Tanzania as a priority.