Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU)

The development of Marine Parks and Reserves in Tanzania dates back to the 1960’s when surveys of marine habitats mainly reefs were conducted and several sites legislated as marine reserves in the mid 1970s. However, no specific management and institutional mechanisms were put in place to effectively manage the reserves apart from allocating the authority to the Department of Fisheries.

The desire by the villagers of Mafia district to establish a protected area in their waters in the late 1980’s rekindled the national interest in the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Tanzania. Subsequently, a number of baseline studies to investigate marine resources and their uses were conducted in Mafia. The studies identified Mafia Island as a suitable site for the establishment of the first marine park in the country.

Beginning from 1990s the Government in collaboration with other key stakeholders worked seriously to ensure that the ideas of establishing Marine Parks and Reserves in the country became a reality through development of the relevant law. In 1994 the legislation to specifically deal with the management and administration of the Marine Parks and Reserve No 29, of 1994 was enacted by the Parliament. The Act provides for a legal framework for the conservation, management and wise use of marine environment with its prolific animals and plant life. It also provides for all reasonable uses by fisher folks, commercial operators and holiday markers, scientists, divers, photographers and reef watchers. Within the Framework of this legislation Mafia Island Marine Park was declared the First Marine Park in Mainland Tanzania in 1995.

Acting within the power entrusted to it by Act No. 29 of 1994, by then the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism in 1996 appointed the Board of Trustees for Marine Parks and Reserves as a semi-autonomous governing body responsible for the formulation of policies, management and administration of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the country. In 1999 five (5) marine reserves which were gazetted under Fisheries Act of 1970, were placed under the administration of MPRU. Mnazi Bay–Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park (MBREMP) and Tanga Coelacanth Marine Park (TACMP) were gazetted as the second and third marine parks in 2000 and 2009, respectively. Currently, there are three (3) marine parks and fifteen (15) marine reserves operating under MPRU.

CONTACTS

HEAD OFFICE
MARINE PARKS AND RESERVES UNIT.
P.O.BOX 7565
DAR ES SALAAM

• Box 7565 , Upanga Area
  Olympio Street

• +255(0) 22 2150 621

• +255(0) 22 2150 621

• marineparks@marineparks.go.tz
• dar.reserve@marineparks.go.tz

MAFIA ISLAND MARINE PARK

• Box 74 Mafia

• 255(0) 23 2402526

• mafiaisland@marineparks.go.tz

MNAZI BAY –RUVUMA ESTUARY MARINE PARK

• BOX 845 MTWARA

• + 255(0) 23 233259

• mnazibay@marineparks.go.tz

TANGA COELACANTH MARINE PARK

• P.O.BOX 5362 TANGA

• +255(0) 683 092444

• tanga@marineparks.go.tz

MAZIWE MARINE RESERVE

• P.O.BOX 5362 TANGA

• +255(0) 683 092444

• tanga@marineparks.go.tz

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