Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve

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Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve system (DMRS) is a marine wildlife reserve in Tanzania, situated approximately 20km north of the country's capital city, Dar es Salaam. The reserve system consists of the four uninhabited islands of Bongoyo, Mbudya, Pangavini and Fungu Yasini and provides protection for several important tropical ecosystems; coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds.

[edit] Legal Status

Management of the reserve is governed by the Tanzanian Board of Trustees of Marine Parks and Reserves which is the custodian and overseer of the establishment and management of the Marine Protected Reserves in Tanzania.

The Dar es Salaam Marine Reserves were first established under the Fisheries Act of 1970 and in 1998 were transferred to the Marine Parks and Reserves (MPRs), Act No. 29 of 1994. [1].

[edit] Threats

Visits to the reserve area are a popular daytrip for both tourists and Tanzanian residents alike, the islands serving as a location for a variety of leisure activities, including snorkelling, sunbathing and hiking. However, over recent years unregulated tourist activities has led to degradation within the reserves.

The nearby fishing communities of Kunduchi, Unonio, and Msasani all appear to be heavily dependent on the resources in the reserves [2] and resource over-exploitation is an increasing concern with local fishermen attributing a decline in fish catches over recent years to the use of small mesh nets and dynamite fishing. A decrease in the abundance of fish and coral health, and an increased amount of bleached and broken coral has been noted by divers.