Events

Ahead of the WIOMSA Scientific Symposium in Mombasa, Kenya in September 2025, the LaSMMI team convened a half‑day coordination meeting to strengthen collaboration and align priorities for 2025–2026. The meeting brought together seagrass researchers and policy partners from across the Western Indian Ocean—including Kenya, Tanzania (mainland and Zanzibar), Mozambique, and Madagascar—alongside representatives from the Pew Charitable Trusts, SeyCCAT, WIOMSA, and the University of Southampton, as well as policy partners within each country.

Participants reviewed country progress, shared updates on fieldwork and data processing, and discussed how regional seagrass mapping can better support national policy priorities, including commitments under Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). A strong emphasis was placed on regional learning and on linking scientific outputs with practical management and policy processes to maximize impact.

The meeting reaffirmed LaSMMI’s role in advancing a coordinated, science‑based approach to seagrass conservation across the Western Indian Ocean. 

During the WIOMSA Symposium, LaSMMI also supported a Special Session to inform the development of a Regional Seagrass Strategy, helping partners come together around a shared vision for the future of seagrass management in the region.