The park is in the Mtwara district of Southeast Tanzania and extends to the border with Mozambique. The area is considered to have globally significant marine biodiversity values and covers 650 square kilometres, of which 33% is on land. The park extends from the northern portion of the Ruvuma Estuary to Mnazi Bay, including the headland of Ras Msangamkuu.
The environment within the park includes mangroves, rocky and sandy shoreline, mudflats, salt pans, fringing coral reefs, lagoonal patch reef, seagrass beds, three islands (Namponda, Mongo and Kisiwa Kidogo) and numerous small rocky islets.
The Park is home to nesting grounds for Green and Hawksbill turtles, and a number of marine mammals have been seen in the area including migrating Humpback whales and the Indopacific Humpback dolphin. A large population of crab-plovers led to the area being designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in 2001.
The area was also once home to dugongs but the last confirmed sighting was in 1992, although there have been unconfirmed sightings since.[1]
Close to 30,000 people live within the park, depending mainly on marine resources for their livelihoods; the park includes in its boundaries 11 villages and 8 sub-villages. There are few opportunities for development hence poverty is rife. This has created an over dependence on marine resources and the persistent use of destructive fishing methods.
Gas was discovered in Mnazi Bay in 1982, and wells were brought into operation in 2006. Gas from the wells is now piped to Mtwara where a gas to power plant provides electricity for the Mtwara and Lindi areas. However, the quantity of gas available is far greater and the wells have now become the focus of plans to supply power to the national grid in an attempt to relieve national power supply problems.
References
^The dugong (Dugong dugon) in Tanzania: A national assessment of status, distribution and threat 2018-09-16 at the Wayback Machine.
External links
Birdlife International: MNAZI BAY
Facts about Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park
February 07, 2023
mnazi, ruvuma, estuary, marine, park, mbremp, established, july, 2000, under, 1994, marine, parks, reserves, tanzania, view, across, mnazi, baynearest, citymtwaracoordinates10, coordinates, 40area650km, established2000governing, bodymarine, parks, reserves, au. The Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park MBREMP was established on 1 July 2000 under Act No 29 of 1994 of Marine Parks and Reserves of Tanzania Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine ParkView across Mnazi BayNearest cityMtwaraCoordinates10 S 40 E 10 S 40 E 10 40 Coordinates 10 S 40 E 10 S 40 E 10 40Area650km Established2000Governing bodyMarine Parks amp Reserves Authority Unitwww wbr marineparks wbr go wbr tz wbr parks wbr info wbr php id 1The park is in the Mtwara district of Southeast Tanzania and extends to the border with Mozambique The area is considered to have globally significant marine biodiversity values and covers 650 square kilometres of which 33 is on land The park extends from the northern portion of the Ruvuma Estuary to Mnazi Bay including the headland of Ras Msangamkuu The environment within the park includes mangroves rocky and sandy shoreline mudflats salt pans fringing coral reefs lagoonal patch reef seagrass beds three islands Namponda Mongo and Kisiwa Kidogo and numerous small rocky islets The Park is home to nesting grounds for Green and Hawksbill turtles and a number of marine mammals have been seen in the area including migrating Humpback whales and the Indopacific Humpback dolphin A large population of crab plovers led to the area being designated as an Important Bird Area IBA in 2001 The area was also once home to dugongs but the last confirmed sighting was in 1992 although there have been unconfirmed sightings since 1 Close to 30 000 people live within the park depending mainly on marine resources for their livelihoods the park includes in its boundaries 11 villages and 8 sub villages There are few opportunities for development hence poverty is rife This has created an over dependence on marine resources and the persistent use of destructive fishing methods Gas was discovered in Mnazi Bay in 1982 and wells were brought into operation in 2006 Gas from the wells is now piped to Mtwara where a gas to power plant provides electricity for the Mtwara and Lindi areas However the quantity of gas available is far greater and the wells have now become the focus of plans to supply power to the national grid in an attempt to relieve national power supply problems References Edit The dugong Dugong dugon in Tanzania A national assessment of status distribution and threat Archived 2018 09 16 at the Wayback Machine External links EditTanzania Marine Parks and Reserves MNAZI BAY Tanzania Marine Parks and Reserves ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Birdlife International MNAZI BAY Facts about Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park amp oldid 1075545062, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
