UMR - Gouvernance, Risque, Environnement, Développement

Following on the International UNESCO meeting held in Réunion Island in 2012, the Mozambique Channel, including specific locations, could integrate the list of World Heritage sites. The Mozambique Channel is traveled by large oceanic gyres and would become the first regional-scale marine World Heritage site. This conceptual and scalar shift leads us to explore the natural and cultural dimensions of the “regional marine heritage” in the Mozambique Channel. To this purpose, the MOZALINK project brings together local and regional partners in the Mozambique Channel under a common goal: to reveal socio-cultural perceptions of natural marine heritage in the Channel, and by doing this, help ensure the implementation of sustainable management of the ecosystems, resources and livelihoods in the region. In order to achieve this objective, the project is structured around two main components:

(1) the biological system (sea and coast) and
(2) the social system, taking into account the coastal communities dependent on sea resources and others stakeholders, as well as their connections across the Channel.

The project explores the links existing between 1) scientific products and models describing ecosystems species and ecological connectivity and 2) surveys of traditional knowledge, social perceptions and management. The project follows an interdisciplinary and multi-scale approach, involving specialists in both natural and human sciences. In order to contribute to future management, the collated knowledge will be diffused in a language that is accessible to the general public, including children (the actors of tomorrow) and policy-makers.

The main output of the project are 1) a spatial management simulation tool for decision-makers and marine spatial managers, 2) an educational toolkit designed to play around the co-management of marine resources, personalized to the Mozambique Channel countries languages and adapted from a similar game developed in the Pacific region (MARECO) and 3) a roadmap toward the inscription of Mozambique Channel sites to the list of Marine World Heritage Sites. The spatial simulation tool/outputs and the educational games will allow local communities and decision-makers to learn about the marine ecosystem and the benefits of co-managing resources. The impacts of the game on local communities and regional/national decision-makers will be monitored with national experts and MSc trainees. Transnational management mechanisms and training activities will be recommended for the future management of Mozambique Channel Heritage. The project will be deployed over the entire region and in ten local study sites distributed along the Mozambique Channel coast in: Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros, France (Mayotte, Iles Eparses) and Tanzania. Each country is represented in the project by a co-investigator. A 52 m documentary will be produced to share the project outputs/outcomes with the public.

Equipe mobilisée (au sein de GRED) : Estienne Rodary, Stéphanie Carrière

Durée des travaux : 2013 - 2016

Partenaires :

• IRD (Réunion)
• CORDIO (Kenya)
• Eduardo Mondlane University (Mozambique)
• IHSM (Madagascar)
• Ulanga Ngazidja (Comores)
• University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
• UNESCO/Marine World Heritage (International)

Financeurs :

Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)

Terrains d’étude :

• Mozambique : Quirimbas/Pemba, Bazaruto/Govuro and Tofo/Zavora, Inhaca/Maputo Bay
• Tanzania : Mnazi Bay Marine Park, Mtwara.
• Madagascar : Nosy Mitsio and Sahamalaza, Barren Islands, Andavadoaka, Ambohibola
• Comoros : Moheli Marine Park
• Mayotte : Parc Naturel Marin
• Iles Eparses