WCS works with fisher communities to identify potential locations for marine conservation and voluntary community fisheries closures along Kenyan Coast
Mombasa, Kenya | May 2025 — In an effort to safeguard marine biodiversity and sustain small-scale fisheries along Kenya’s coastline, researchers, in collaboration with local fisher communities, have identified 170 potential areas for voluntary fisheries closures, known locally as tengefus.
The results were shared through a series of workshops hosted by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Kenya Marine Program, bringing together representatives from all coastal Beach Management Units (BMUs).
The workshops marked the culmination of a three-year collaborative project with WCS and Macquarie University, Australia, which combined local knowledge and cutting-edge scientific modelling to identify ecologically important coastal habitats for conservation, the social and governance capacity of communities that depend on them as well as the social feasibility or trade-offs that need to be considered when establishing tengefus.
The process culminated in a National Policy Integration Meeting with government and non-government stakeholders to discuss how the findings could be integrated into ongoing marine spatial planning efforts.
“We’ve been working to identify optimal locations for small-scale fisheries closures along the Kenyan coast by combining traditional knowledge with AI-powered spatial models,” said Remy Oddenyo, Marine Scientist at WCS Kenya. “By combining what communities know with machine learning, we can map and identify optimal locations to establish small-scale fisheries closures, ultimately conserving the ocean in a way that works for both people and nature.”
The project mapped key marine ecosystems including coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds—habitats essential for fish reproduction, carbon sequestration, shoreline protection, and sustaining marine life. The research involved extensive collaboration with community fishers, local and national government agencies, and conservation NGOs.
Maina Mbui, Associate Professor at Macquarie University and head of the Spatial Decisions Group, emphasized the role of policy and community engagement in meeting global conservation targets. He stated that their work cuts across the intersection between science and policy implementation.
“In Kenya, we are supporting Sustainable Development Goal 14— to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development— and the global 30x30 conservation target by integrating community-driven conservation into national planning frameworks,” said Mbui.
Kyle Zawada, a doctoral fellow at Macquarie University, praised the participatory approach used in the mapping process. Calling it a form of validation of the work they have done in preparing the maps using their technology. He acknowledged the importance of getting the communities’ insights, which otherwise would not have been captured by their scientific models.
“We held workshops where we printed out our maps and sat down with local fishers to show them the areas our models identified as ideal for closures,” said Zawada. “They pointed out where we got it right—and where we missed. It was a true integration of cutting-edge technology with local and indigenous knowledge, helping us better understand and identify these critical habitats.”
The Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS) has observed a growing interest among coastal communities in establishing community-managed marine closures. They noted that the WCS initiative supports and complements existing efforts such as the Marine Spatial Plan and the development of Joint Co-Management Area (JCMA) plans. KeFS commended the project’s inclusive and participatory approach, stating that it is part of their core mandate to involve communities in fisheries resource management efforts.
Building on the success of thriving tengefus in Kuruwitu in Kilifi Couty and Wasini in Kwale County—both of which serve as inspiring models—WCS has helped spark interest in other areas. Communities such as Chale–Jeza BMU in the Southern Seascape and Kanamai BMU in the Northern Seascape are now exploring the establishment of their own tengefus.
As the project concludes, WCS Kenya hopes the tools and frameworks developed will be adopted by agencies and integrated into ongoing marine spatial planning initiatives.