Improving coastal marine resource management in Kenya

Established in 2007, Coastal and Marine Resource Development (COMRED)  works to help communities develop practical solutions to better manage their marine environment in coastal Kenya. COMRED is successful at working effectively at different scales: from supporting communities to organize and develop their governance structures; to connecting communities with funders who support local conservation efforts; and working to influence local government policy.  

Kenya’s coastal fisheries and coral reefs are of critical importance to the food and income of millions of people, and face rising pressures from growing populations and consumption, infrastructure development, urban pollution, and climate change. Weaknesses in fisheries governance and conflicts between resource users result in low enforcement of regulations and chronic overexploitation of marine resources.

COMRED has played a key role in pioneering community-led efforts within the Shimoni-Vanga Seascape, a rich transboundary marine area in southeastern Kenya. This rich marine environment, with some of Kenya's most important mangrove areas, coral reef fisheries, and offshore islands, is home to several coastal communities that rely on the area for food and income from fishing and tourism. It is part of a wider transboundary seascape stretching along Tanzania's northeastern coast, making it part of a globally significant area for coral reefs and other marine life. 

COMRED works with local communities to better manage their fisheries and coral reef ecosystems, to both safeguard biodiversity and improve local food supplies. Sharing their research and expertise with communities, governments, and students, COMRED supports development, planning, and capacity building for a more unified and thriving coastal environment.