Watamu Marine Association (WMA) is a non profit, voluntary organisation bringing together a diverse membership of groups and organisations primarily to benefit the community, protect the marine environment and promote quality tourism in Watamu, Kenya. WMA was formed in 2007 through a mutual acknowledgement among coastal stakeholders of the problems and challenges facing the Watamu community and environment and a desire to resolve conflicts and show that by working together we can secure the future of Watamu as a natural asset for all and for shared economic prosperity.

WMA promotes community development and empowerment and advocates for the protection and preservation of Watamu Marine Park and Reserves. WMA is exploring participatory and co-management potential with the managing authorities and agencies. The Association, which currently has 30 member organisations from the tourism, environment and community sectors is steered by an elected Committee and invites the local public authorities and government agencies to actively participate in meetings and decision-making processes.

WMA administration and running costs are covered by internal fundraising and membership support. Consequently donations are spent directly on WMA projects and community programmes. WMA is unusual in that its main impetus is derived from a community desire and self-motivation for betterment. Listed below are some of the projects and programmes that WMA undertake and issues and challenges that we address:

Specific issues addressed by WMA:

• Lack of environmental education and awareness within the community.
• Addressing problems related to poverty and unemployment through highlighting the value of the marine resource as a potential source of revenue and developing Income Generating Activities.
• Bridging the gap between the tourism sector and local community groups to resolve conflicts and identify common areas of collaboration and partnership.
• Empowerment of community groups to participate in management and decision making processes related to marine resource use.
• Degradation and destruction of protected coastal habitats.
• Coastal pollution.
• Mangrove conservation and reforestation
• Threats to coral reefs and fisheries.
• Illegal and destructive fishing methods and over fishing.

WMA Activities and Programmes include:

Community Sector

• Conflict resolution.
• Operating a website that highlights member organisations and Watamu as a means of promoting members and attracting tourism interest to Watamu and sponsorship of WMA projects.
• Facilitating support from members and supporters to provide sponsorship of community groups and activities.
• Providing IT training to community member groups as part of the community education and development programme.

Tourism Sector

• Working relations between hotels and beach operators / curio sellers developed and enhanced through agreed Tourism Codes of Best Practice for hotels, visitors and beach operators, involving the self-policing of Watamu beaches by WMA community members.
• Working towards the development of a Beach Management Plan to enhance the tourist experience and promote Watamu as a world class tourist destination.
• Promotion and advocacy for sustainable and low impact tourism development.
• Support and promotion of local community groups’ eco-tourism initiatives and assistance in securing sponsorship.
• Developing eco-tourism potential for community based businesses such as dolphin watching and eco-tour guiding.
• WMA is in the process of implementing a Community Based Sustainable Tourism and Ecotourism Project with UNWTO support.

Environment Sector

• In 2009 WMA set up a Community Solid Waste Management and Recycling Project providing benefits for local community members as part of a poverty alleviation programme (The Project employs 38 community group members, mostly from disadvantaged women and youth groups). The project manages plastic waste pollution on Watamu beaches and environs and is developing recycling and income generation initiatives to financially sustain long term project operations.
• Collaborating with the Department of Fisheries and Kenya Wildlife Service to develop management plans for commercial scale fisheries and marine resource management.
• Advocacy for and development of sustainable community based fisheries and marine resource management capacity.
• Appealing to the National Environment Tribunal against a controversial large scale commercial development within the protected Marine Reserve that had broken national environment laws and threatened beaches and the marine environment. WMA members and supporters won the appeal on all grounds and stopped the development. This is a landmark victory for communities calling for a change in tourism development policy at the coast. This has become a very high profile case and could have wide spread ramifications for tourism development, drawing attention to the absence of a Physical Development Plan for commercial constructions and development at the coast.
• Running a Dolphin Conservation, Ecotourism and Research Project
• Exploring biomass briquettes potential as an alternative fuel to charcoal.
• Acting as an environmental watch dog for the managing authorities and reporting illegal and destructive environmental activities.
• Collaborating with the Marine Park and Reserve managing authorities to increase law enforcement within the marine protected areas.