Mozambique has announced the creation of its first Marine Protected Area. This will link the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa to create Africa’s first trans-frontier marine conservation area.


It will consist of the Inhaca and Portuguese islands, and the Maputo Special Reserve, stretching three nautical miles into the sea.



It will extend over 300 kilometres of coastline and undevelopped beaches from Maputo Bay in Mozambique to Cape St Lucia in South Africa.




Mozambique’s Tourism Minister Fernando Sumbana said the park was a important step in protecting marine turtles that nest in high densities in Maputo Special Reserve, as well as other rare or endangered species, marine mammals and ecosystems.



Industrial fishing, fishing on coral reefs or with explosives, and driving of motorised vehicles on them are now banned. The long-term aim is to create Africa’s first trans-boundary marine World Heritage Site and to this end Mozambique is applying for a listing with Unesco.