Blue Alliance Marine Protected Areas

On this year's #WorldRangerDay, our local entity Blue Alliance Philippines hosted an event to honour the invaluable work of the rangers in our Marine Protected Areas. 🌏 Activities included a coastal cleanup at Harka Piloto Island, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, and a reorientation session of the EarthRanger application, which our rangers use to enhance their patrols. 🤝 Participants from Bantay Dagat (community sea wardens) and BAKOD (Blue Alliance Key Ocean Defenders), representing the Local Government Units of Calapan City, Baco, San Teodoro, and Puerto Galera, came together. We were also joined by the Fisheries Management Office (FMO) of Calapan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and law enforcers from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our dedicated rangers and the participants of the celebration! Together, we are helping the planet, one Marine Protected Area at a time. 🌊 ▶️ Learn more about our work in the field: https://lnkd.in/gYukDwRM Global Fund for Coral Reefs Global Rewilding Alliance Department Of Environment And Natural Resources (DENR) Ecosystem Research And De #MarineConservation #CoastalCleanup #BlueAlliancePhilippines #BeachCleanup #Philippines #MPA

We are thrilled to introduce AQUAHUB, a pioneering project transforming the future of sustainable, community-driven aquaculture! 🌊 In collaboration with the Zanzibari government, AQUAHUB is leading the way in regenerative farming of the sandfish sea cucumber, which is in high global demand. The sandfish (Holothuria scabra) is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to overexploitation and habitat degradation. AQUAHUB is working to reverse this decline by establishing an eco-friendly hatchery focused on sustainable sandfish juvenile production. Through community-led sea ranching in natural habitats, we aim to restore wild populations and rejuvenate vital seagrass ecosystems. This initiative not only strengthens the livelihoods of Pemba's coastal communities but also plays a key role in fostering a thriving Blue Economy in Zanzibar. ▶️ Swipe through the visuals to discover why sea cucumbers are called the "Earthworms of the Ocean," explore our community-centred approach, and see how the AQUAHUB initiative is making a lasting impact on people, wildlife, and the health of our ocean. 🔗 For more insights visit https://bit.ly/3wmD7zB #reef-positive Seacucumber Consultancy pty. Ltd. Global Fund for Coral Reefs Blue Oceans Capital The Meloy Fund Deliberate Capital, LLC #AQUAHUB #MarineConservation #SeaCucumber #SustainableAquaculture #CommunityEmpowerment #BlueEconomy #Pemba #Zanzibar #BlueAlliance #PECCA

Sustainable seaweed aquaculture in Pemba! 🌊In collaboration with Ajabu Enterprises, our local partner, the Kwanini Foundation, recently held a workshop on seaweed aquaculture in Pemba. 🌱95 dedicated community members from six Eco-Village Savings and Loans (Eco-VSL) groups learned about preservation, hygiene standards, processing, and value addition in seaweed farming. 🌍 The Eco-VSL groups, established by the Kwanini Foundation in 2023, are committed to environmental education and actions such as reforestation, clean-ups, adherence to fisheries laws, and the adoption of sustainable production practices. Workshop participants are striving to improve their seaweed production techniques to protect nearshore ecosystems like coral reefs and seagrass meadows while ensuring that seaweed is produced and processed in compliance with health and safety standards. By partnering with Ajabu Enterprises, they will transform raw seaweed into value-added products by cleaning, drying, and converting it into a variety of items for sale. This approach will enable producers to capture more value from finished products, instead of relying solely on raw seaweed sales, especially as recent prices have dropped. 🤝 Blue Alliance, the Kwanini Foundation's main partner, has provided the necessary equipment to support participants and other Makangale residents in enhancing their seaweed production. Learn more about our community development projects: https://bit.ly/48Rf1ek #Pemba #Zanzibar #Seaweed #Aquaculture #SustainableLivelihoods #KwaniniFoundation #CommunityDevelopment #BlueAlliance #VSL

Strengthening marine conservation in Banggai, Indonesia 🌊 In July, our local Blue Alliance team in Banggai, Indonesia, held a coordination meeting with the community surveillance group (Pokmaswas) of Sapelang village within the Banggai MPA network. This meeting focused on enhancing collaboration between Blue Alliance and local government to improve patrol and surveillance efforts. Discussions included the possibility of sustainable income generation from small-scale aquaculture and fisheries, and community-based marine tourism to cover operational costs for Pokmaswas. 🎣 Blue Alliance Banggai is also involved in establishing a forum for sustainable fisheries and coastal management in the Banggai Kepulauan Regency. This inclusive conservation forum brings together local government, police, marine surveillance forces, village leaders, community leaders, surveillance groups, fisher groups, fish traders, and NGOs to effectively manage the Conservation Areas. This forum aims to accelerate the reduction of fish bombing and poisoning, and marine plastic debris while optimising the potential of the Banggai MPA network for fisheries, aquaculture, and marine tourism. ➡️ Learn more about our work in Banggai, Indonesia: https://bit.ly/3Hnvjjo #MarineConservation #SustainableFisheries #CommunityCollaboration #BanggaiMPA #BlueAlliance #Pokmaswas

What makes mangroves so valuable? Discover the answer in this infographic by Global Mangrove Alliance. ⬇ UN Biodiversity Blue Alliance Philippines Global Rewilding Alliance #Mangroves #MPA #MarineConservation

Marine biodiversity means: 💙 a healthy ocean 💙 a buffer against climate change 💙 food security 💙 livelihoods Protecting and restoring biodiversity is the focus of Challenge 2 of the #OceanDecade. In this context, through initiatives like Marine Life 2030, Ocean Census and Global Fund for Coral Reefs, scientists across the world are helping to protect and restore marine life from pollution, overfishing, climate change, and other threats. Explore all the #OceanDecade Actions that support a healthy marine biodiversity here: https://ow.ly/j0VA50SVEjN

Building resilience through rainwater harvesting 💧 Resilience means having options in times of need. We and our local partner in North Pemba, the Kwanini Foundation, are committed to ensuring that communities in and around the Pemba Channel Conservation Area have a reliable fallback when the main water line fails—something that already happens regularly. When the taps run dry, it’s often women and children who bear the burden, walking long distances to fetch water or paying high prices for oxcarts to deliver it. 🌱 We're empowering 14 farming groups with 1,000-liter tanks, providing them with an easily accessible water reserve. These tanks can be filled when the main water line is functional, and participants are also learning how to harvest rainwater through rooftop capture and mobile rainwater units. The latter, installed on farms, channel rainwater into tanks, primarily for crop irrigation but available for drinking in emergencies. 🏡 Most residents of Makangale have metal roofs, perfect for rainwater harvesting. Our hope is that this initiative will inspire others to adopt these practices, spreading resilience across the community. However, with even small water tanks costing around $100 USD, the expense is significant. That's why Kwanini Foundation is exploring options to subsidise tank purchases for those committed to sustainable agriculture. ▶️ Learn more about our work: https://bit.ly/49703kJ #RainwaterHarvesting #CommunityResilience #SustainableAgriculture #WaterSecurity #KwaniniFoundation #Pemba #Zanzibar

Empowering the next generation of ocean stewards 🌊 Education is a powerful tool for creating awareness and promoting positive change. That’s why we are running an education programme in local schools around our Marine Protected Areas in Banggai, Indonesia. Our lessons extend outdoors, teaching kids to swim, snorkel, identify fish and corals, and engage in activities like beach clean-ups. 📚🐠 Together with our partner, the Tompotika Foundation, Blue Alliance Banggai recently organised snorkeling sessions with local children, allowing them to explore marine ecosystems firsthand and learn about the importance of protecting the ocean and marine life. ➡️ Visit https://bit.ly/3Sa4aXn to learn more about our work with local communities in Indonesia. Together, we are helping the planet, one Marine Protected Area at a time! #EducationProgramme #MarineConservation #CommunityDevelopment #EnvironmentalEducation #BlueAlliance #Banggai #Indonesia #Tompotika

🌊 New Resource Alert: MPA Finance Toolkit    Despite their ecological, social, and economic value, almost two-thirds of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the world lack sufficient funding for effective management. 🌎    Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance member, The Nature Conservancy, have recently launched a new MPA Finance Toolkit, developed by their Reef Resilience Network and in partnership with the Blue Nature Alliance. This is a first-stop resource for marine managers and practitioners interested in generating sustainable financing for their #MPA. The toolkit provides an introduction to MPA finance and finance mechanisms, along with guidance on their prioritisation and implementation.     👉Find the full the toolkit here: https://lnkd.in/g4ENASHq     WIOMSA - Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association | Conservation International     #ORRAA #MPAs #BlueFinance #SustainableBlueEconomy 

What are the impacts of coral bleaching on marine ecosystems? ➡️ Find out at https://bit.ly/4dwoaez Global Fund for Coral Reefs #BlueWildEcoventues #DiveMindoro #CoralBleaching #MPA #Philippines