Coral Reef Conservation Project Summary

The Wildlife Conservation Societies Coral Reef Conservation Project in Mombasa, Kenya

The Coral Reef Conservation Project was started in 1986 to study the effects of human influences on Kenyan coral reefs.   The project is hosted in the country by Kenya Wildlife Service and through long-term research clearance authorized by Kenya’s Ministry of Science and Technology.  The five major objectives of the Coral Reef Conservation Project are: 1) to determine the effects of marine parks, global climate change, fishing, and indigenous management on fisheries catches and species diversity and reef ecology, 2) to develop methods to restore coral reefs that have been degraded by heavy fishing, pollution or coral bleaching, 3) to assist the organization of relevant government agencies and social organizations in developing sustainable resource use for coral reefs, 4) to foster the professional development and training of marine scientists in coral reef ecology and management practices, and 5) contribute to the coordination and general development of coral reef conservation and science in the tropics.
  
The Project is lead by Dr. Tim McClanahan of The Wildlife Conservation Society and approximately six East Africans are associated with the project.  Project employees and associates receive support for data collection, analysis, research and academic training.  The Kenyans are researchers and managers, working with regional governments in Kenya, including Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kenya Wildlife Services, the Fisheries Department, and regional universities and societies. The project works closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service and most importantly through the annual monitoring of the four marine protected areas, a program that has been maintained since 1987.  It also works closely with Kenya’s Fisheries Department through monitoring fish catches and the ecology of fished reefs in southern Kenya since 1991. 

The project maintains relationships with foreign and local universities and supports graduate work and an internship program for African nationals.  From 1991 to the present the project has partially supported the completion of 14 Msc projects and 5 doctoral dissertations.  During this time the project has also supported the internships of 15 western Indian Ocean nationals from Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar Mozambique and India.   Interns learn and participate in the coral reef and fisheries monitoring methods, the analysis of the data and production of reports and publications.  The project has produced approximately 100 publications of which over 50 are peer-reviewed journal publications (Click Here To view a list of all CRCP publications).

Employees, interns and students assist in the above overall project goals as well as undertaking research on related subjects of their choosing.  Examples of theses and dissertation research include 1) a study of the growth of corals in reefs exposed to different fishing gear, 2) a study of the population dynamics and early life history (i.e.. reproduction, settlement and recruitment) of the keystone sea urchin species Echinometra mathaei, 3) a comparative historical and present-day analysis of the economic and ecological impacts of tourism and fishing on Kenya's economy and coral reef ecology, 4) the influences of tourism and fishing on the population dynamics and community structure of coral reef species in the newly created Mombasa Marine National Park, 5) the effects of warm water on coral death and recovery and 6) an economic modelling study of the effect of the Mombasa MNP on fish catches and fishing income.  Research intends to lend insight into the effects of fishing and biological factors affecting species diversity, population dynamics, extinction and fisheries productivity of coral reefs.