Building Collaboration for Ocean Conservation: Insights and Recommendations from the Southwest Indian Ocean Marine Protected Areas Workshop

On 23 June 2026, marine conservation grant-holders, project partners, students and stakeholders gathered in Cape Town for the Southwest Indian Ocean Marine Protected Areas (SIOMPA) South African Implementing Partner Meeting.

The workshop, held under the theme Feedback, Fraternity and Foresight, aimed to strengthen collaboration and guide future marine conservation efforts. The National Research Foundation (NRF) hosted the workshop as a side event at the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2026, held from 22 to 26 June 2026.

SIOMPA aims to improve ocean conservation in the Western Indian Ocean by strengthening connections between marine protected areas (MPAs) and making them more effective. It focuses on understanding species movement, supporting climate resilience and promoting sustainable resource use through a coordinated regional approach.

Guided by its theme, the workshop focused on project feedback, collaborative discussions and foresight planning, thus creating a platform for strategic alignment. Tracy Klarenbeek, Thematic Grants Manager at the NRF, emphasised that the workshop’s informal, participatory approach was designed to bring implementing partners together as peers.

The workshop’s first session featured presentations from four SIOMPA projects—MESCAL, MECOWIO, MERMOZ and COEXISTENCE—highlighting ecological connectivity, climate change and sustainable ocean use.

The increasing pressure on marine ecosystems emerged as a key theme of this session. Prof Warren Potts, who holds the Oppenheimer Chair in Environmental Justice for Africa’s Coastal and Inland Fisheries at Rhodes University, noted that climate change and fishing pressure threaten ecosystems and the people relying on them. He highlighted that South Africa’s MPA network is strong by global standards because it contains a high proportion of older, well-established, fully protected “no-take” sanctuary areas. While many countries focus merely on expanding MPA coverage, South Africa stands out for the quality, strict protection and scientific value of its network, said Prof Potts.

Speakers also stressed the importance of MPAs in enhancing biodiversity resilience and reinforced the need to understand how species move across regional ocean spaces.

Another session focused on identifying project overlaps and synergies. Participants addressed shared challenges, including funding delays, permitting constraints and logistical barriers. They also emphasised collective problem-solving.

The following are some of the recommendations that emerged to enhance future impact across the projects:

1. Align fieldwork and share resources: Coordinate field activities across projects to reduce duplication, maximise efficiency and support joint data collection.
2. Improve data sharing and integration: Share datasets, including tracking and ecological data, to strengthen regional connectivity analyses.
3. Streamline permitting processes: Pursue a coordinated approach to permit applications—potentially through joint submissions—whilst strengthening collaboration with MPA authorities.
4. Invest in capacity development: Expand training opportunities, workshops and student exchanges to build long-term regional expertise.
5. Enhance stakeholder engagement: Engage communities, fisheries and policymakers, whilst improving communication to showcase project impacts.
6. Strengthen coordination and continuity: Establish regular engagements and annual meetings to maintain momentum across projects.

The workshop concluded with a foresight session reflecting on how to implement these recommendations collectively. The event demonstrated that effective marine conservation in the Western Indian Ocean depends not only on strong science, but also on collaboration, coordination and a shared regional vision.

Fig 1: Participants of the SIOMPA Implementing Partner Meeting held in Cape Town, 23 June 2026.

Back row from left to right:

Prof Warren Potts (Rhodes University); Singathwa Mbangeni (NRF-RIISA); Dr Ryan Daly (Oceanographic Research Institute); Prof Lynne Shannon (University of Cape Town); Dr Romina Henriques (University of Pretoria); Dr Fabien Forget (IRD – French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development); Mélissa Duflot (University of Pretoria);  Dr Taryn Murray (NRF-SAIAB); Dr Courtney Gardiner (University of Pretoria); Dr Simon Elwen (Sea Search Africa); Sasha Dines (Sea Search); Dr Paul Tixier (IRD); Aaron Barnes (Sea Search)

Front row from left to right:

Dr Issufo Halo (Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment); Jethan d’ Hotman (NRF-SAEON); Tracy Klarenbeek (NRF); Darcie Anderson (University of Cape Town); Fhumulani Ramukhwatho (Department of Science, Technology and Innovation); Dr Samantha Grusd (University of Cape Town); Dr Charlene da Silva (Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment); Samkele Ngcefa (Nelson Mandela University); Carmen Visser (NRF-RIISA, SANCOR)

Not pictured here:

Dr Tamryn Morris (NRF-SAEON)

Dr Mariana Tolotti (IRD)