Establishment of a financially sustainable model of private MPA management through ecotourism

From 1991-1994 Chumbe Island Coral Park Limited (CHICOP) successfully negotiated with the semi-autonomous government of Zanzibar, Tanzania for the western coral reef and forest of Chumbe Island to be gazetted as an MPA, with management of the MPA entrusted to CHICOP. The company was specifically established for the purpose of developing and managing the MPA financially self-sustainably, utilizing ecotourism to generate revenue for all MPA operational costs and associated conservation, research and education activities. Through this Chumbe became the first managed marine park in Tanzania, the first privately managed MPA in the world, and to date is one of the only financially self-sustainable MPAs globally. The company objectives are not-for-profit, implementing conservation and education initiatives over more than 20 years under the framework of two management plan iterations that were developed with wide stakeholder participation (1995-2005 and 2006-2016). Ecotourism business operations follow commercial principles for maximizing revenue and promoting cost-effectiveness to ensure a sustainable revenue stream for MPA activities, exemplifying a successful business-oriented approach to sustainable and effective MPA management.

Sustainable park management often means that access to traditional resources is restricted or modified for sustainable management. Such impacts therefore need to be offset by ensuring local communities and resource users directly or indirectly benefit from the MPA and are fully involved in the solution. Chumbe MPA was established through participative partnerships with local communities, and included: village meetings before and during project development; employment and training of community members for various project roles, including former fishermen as park rangers; village leader involvement in management plans and Advisory Committee meetings; and the provision of wider income opportunities for local communities (such as agricultural products for the restaurant, building materials and handicrafts, outsourcing road and boat transport and craftsmen services during maintenance). Additionally the project benefits local communities through the protection of valuable biodiversity; restocking of depleted fisheries and degraded coral reefs; promotion of environmental awareness among fishers, and provision of emergency services to local fishers in distress in the absence of a marine rescue service in Tanzania.

Establishment and management of the MPA has been built upon a strong biophysical and social science foundation; from preliminary baseline surveys at all levels at the start of conceptual development, through to regular monitoring and assessment to ensure an adaptive management approach. Since 1993 CHICOP has employed professional expatriate marine biologists as Conservation Coordinators, for training park rangers and overseeing all research and monitoring programs. Extensive and cross-institutional capacity building efforts have also been provided on a range of projects both within Chumbe MPA and with partner institutions and emerging coastal conservation programs across the region. CHICOP’s ranger team has captured daily monitoring and observational data in the MPA, leading to Chumbe having the most extensive monitoring data set of any MPA in Africa, possibly the world, spanning more than 20 years of operations. Results are used for decision making and are shared through a range of information materials such as scientific publications, status reports and newsletters. Furthermore, all CHICOP staff are trained in the basics of reef and forest ecology, English language skills, ecotourism and waste management practises.

Public communication, education and awareness-raising on the importance and vulnerability of the marine ecosystem is a key building block for CHICOP which offers environmental education for fishers, students, teachers, government officials, tourism operators and visitors. CHICOP implements ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ through an ‘Environmental Education program’ which since 1995 has welcomed more than 6400 schoolchildren, 1100 teachers and 690 community members for one-day field excursions to Chumbe Island. The excursions offer hands-on activities, discussions in the Island’s own classroom using interactive learning tools, and special floatation devices make it possible for everyone to participate in snorkeling which is especially unique for the Muslim girls and women in the region, who rarely learn how to swim. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, CHICOP has incorporated a coral reef module into the local school curricula and conducts teacher training related to environmental sustainability aimed at assisting in the establishment of environment clubs in schools and communities across Zanzibar. These clubs address issues such as waste management, biodiversity loss and climate change mitigation projects.

Following the gazettement of the Chumbe MPA in 1994 by the Government of Zanzibar, management was entrusted to CHICOP for a renewable 10 year period for the Reef Sanctuary (now in its third renewal period). The Management Plans define objectives, activities, research regulations and Do’s and Don’ts both for visitors and staff. Only non-consumptive and non-exploitative activities are permitted. Research is limited to non-extractive studies, and fishing and non-authorized anchoring in the MPA are prohibited. Scuba diving is only permitted for researchers and documentary film crews. In order to increase enforcement capacity, rangers receive on-going training in surveillance techniques and processes for promoting and ensuring MPA compliance. Patrols are done by boat, on foot and from the top of the lighthouse. The rangers are unarmed and rely on persuading fishers and building awareness. Compiled daily monitoring reports are shared with the Department of Fisheries Development in Zanzibar. Visitor numbers per day are restricted and only boats arranged by Chumbe can bring visitors to the MPA. Demarcation buoys are deployed along the MPA boundaries and compliance levels are high with positive relations with local fishers.

To effectively ensure that tourism operations within the MPA do not damage the surrounding ecosystem, CHICOP has, from its outset, been committed to ecologically sustainable operations and infrastructure. All buildings on the island (7 visitor bungalows, a visitor center and staff quarters) have a rainwater catchment system for shower and tap water, heated by solar power; a vegetative greywater filtration system for wastewater management; photovoltaic power generation and composting toilets. Air-conditioners and other coolants are not required due to the bungalows being positioned to channel winds in line with the predominant seasonal wind directions. Organic waste is composted and reused in the composting toilets. Non-organic waste items are reduced at source (non-acquisition of plastic bags / use of re-fillable containers etc.), and any waste products that are re-useable (such as jars, bottles) are used in-house or decorated and sold as handicrafts. The few remaining waste products are removed from the island. Guests use solar torches at night to avoid light pollution, and all buildings are set-back from the beach, situated at least 4 meters above high-tide mark to avoid potential damage from storm surges and coastal erosion.