World Wildlife Fund is announcing the 2011 Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Fellowships to support doctoral and postdoctoral research on marine protected areas (MPAs) that show promise to enhance scientific understanding of their ecological and social impacts and that will strengthen science-based conservation and policy in the following WWF-US priority marine regions: Bering Sea; Gulf of California; Mesoamerican Reef; Galápagos; Coastal East Africa (coastal and marine areas of Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania); and Coral Triangle (Bismarck-Solomon Seas, Banda-Flores Seas, Sulu-Sulawesi Seas). Fuller Postdoctoral Fellows receive $140,000 to cover a stipend and research expenses over a period of up to two years. In addition, up to $17,500 will be granted to cover indirect costs at the host institution over the two-year fellowship period. Doctoral Fellows receive either $15,000 or $20,000, depending on the location of their research and home universities, allocated over a period of up to 2 years to cover research expenses.

Online application forms is available from November 8, 2010 and the deadline for submission is January 31, 2011.

For more information on the Fuller Doctoral Fellowship, please visit: http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/fellowships/fuller/doctoralfund.html

For more information on the Fuller Postdoctoral Fellowship, please visit: http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/fellowships/fuller/postdoctoral-fellowships.html

For questions or further information, please contact fullerfund@wwfus.org

24 MPA Managers are currently attending a training course on Marine Protected Areas Management in the Western Indian Ocean in Mombasa, Kenya. The two week course organized by WIOMSA and RECOMAP and hosted by KWS, brings together participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Comoros, Mauritius and Rodrigues, Madagascar, and Seychelles.

For the first time, this course is attended by two participants from Gambia and Cape Verde. The objective is to equip Managers with the skills to sustainably manage Marine Protected Areas and prepare them towards Level 2, Certification in the WIO-COMPAS program. The Training Manual for MPA Managers has been redone to accommodate the new elements in the course.

The 14^th Symposium of the Natural Products Research Network for Eastern And Central Africa (NAPRECA) is scheduled to be held from 8^th – 12^th August 2011 at the University of Nairobi, Chiromo Campus, Nairobi, Kenya. The theme of the Symposium is the “Natural Products from African Biodiversity”

For more information see: www.napreca.net

Contact persons: Prof. Jacob Midiwo (jmidiwo@uonbi.ac.ke); Prof. Abiy Yenesew (ayenesew@uonbi.ac.ke) and Dr. Solomon Derese (napreca@uonbi.ac.ke)

The INTERNATIONAL OCEAN INSTITUTE announces The DANIELLE DE ST. JORRE SCHOLARSHIP ~ Call for Applications for 2011

Since 2000, the International Ocean Institute presents a Scholarship of Swiss Francs 10,000 annually for one woman from a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) involved in marine related research activities to improve her knowledge in the subject by attending specialised training or University Degree programmes. The scholarship has been established to honour the memory of the late Danielle de St. Jorre, Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Environment and Tourism of the Republic of the Seychelles and a member of the Governing Board of the International Ocean Institute, in consideration of all she did in her short life for the benefit of her country, small island developing states and the world at large.

The International Ocean Institute hereby invites applications/nominations for the 2011 scholarship.

Obtaining an Application Form and Information

Further information on the Scholarship as well as the application form and explanatory notes may be obtained by sending an email to ioihq@ioihq.org.mt and requesting an application form. A copy of the Application Guidelines may also be requested by sending an email to antonella.vassallo@ioihq.org.mt.Candidates will be selected in consultation with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). The form will also be available for download through the IOI’s website: http://www.ioinst.org/

The deadline for receipt of applications is 21^st January 2011.

WIOMSA has undertaken a comprehensive redesign and upgrade of its website, introducing new interactive features as well as a fresher, more vibrant outlook that we are confident will make the site easy to navigate The website is designed using the content-management software, Joomla, which is user-friendly and provides many options to accommodate varying needs of WIOMSA as well as its memberships and partners. The major changes on the site include:

i)  All components of WIOMSA’s communication media such as WIOMSA Blog, WIO-COMPAS, Newsbriefs, Annual Reports and theWIOMSA Magazine are now  present in one location, making for easier access and readership.

ii)  Most of the WIOMSA’s publications are posted on the site

iii) Descriptions of all MASMA-funded projects including interactive maps of their study sites and publications

iv)  The eStore where WIOMSA-supported publications as well as items from women supported by WIOMSA-implemented projects, are on sale

v)  Names of the current and previous Board members; Programme Committee; Editorial Board of the WIO Journal of Marine Science; and Honorary and Fellow members

vi)   Restricted areas for Board and Programme Committee members

vii)  Photo gallery and Polls

We are still working on the Members Area, which we hope will be operational in about a week or so. All paid members will receive emails with login names and passwords.

Suggestions for further improvements are welcomed.

Project description:

Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd. (CHICOP) is based in Zanzibar/Tanzania, and has established and now manages Chumbe Island as an award-winning private Marine Sanctuary and Forest Reserve that has become renowned as the first financially independent and self-sustaining marine protected area in East Africa. This is made viable through an eco-lodge utilizing commercial principles with not for profit objectives to generate self-financing of the park. The park includes a protected reef sanctuary and forest reserve. There is also a Visitors’ centre used for Chumbe’s Environmental Education programs. Eco-tourism supports park management, research and education programs for local schools.  The Education Programme focuses on providing experiential environmental education to students from Zanzibari primary and secondary schools. For more information, please visit www.chumbeisland.com

Job description of Conservation and Education Assistant:

The Conservation & Education Assistant is a full-time position based at the CHICOP headquarters office near Zanzibar town and reports to the Conservation & Education Manager. He/she is responsible for organizing and leading all school trips including classroom pre-visits as well as environmental education excursions to Chumbe Island as well as supporting the Conservation & Education Manager in all tasks related to the conservation and education programmes (eg compiling statistics and preparing reports, arranging special education events, participating in various educational activities on behalf of CHICOP, assisting the Community Outreach Programme, etc.). 

Personal Specification Requirements:

1. Educated to at least Bachelor’s degree level in environmental education or related discipline
2. Fluent in English, both spoken and written
3. Possess a genuine interest in nature and environmental education
4. Must be a strong swimmer/ comfortable in the water
5. Have excellent written and verbal communication skills
6. Experienced in writing formal and scientific reports
7. Be computer literate
8. Demonstrate good planning and team-working ability

Desirable Qualifications:

1. Possess driving license.

2. Have broad knowledge of tropical marine life / ecosystems as well as global conservation issues.

3. Be fluent in Kiswahili, both spoken and written.

If you are interested and posses the requirements, please send a detailed application letter and your CV (preferably via e-mail) by the 30^th of November to:

Conservation and Education Manager

Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd/ P.O. Box 3203

Zanzibar

Email: chumbe@zitec.org

An interview with Dr Andre Standing, Kenya. Dr André Standing is an independent researcher based in Kenya, specialising on the governance of natural resources. In 2009, he undertook a review of certification of marine fisheries in Southern and Eastern Africa for the Institute for Security Studies, a leading Africa-based think-tank. Dr Standing’s research and writing on fisheries continues to examine the politics of fisheries management, with a particular focus on corruption, accountability and access to information.

Read the full interview from:
http://agritrade.cta.int/en/Fisheries/Interview-points-of-view-from-ACP-EU-stakeholders/The-challenges-of-African-marine-fisheries-eco-certification

A substance derived from green algae has boosted wheat productivity by a quarter, according to Egyptian scientists.

‘Gorn 19′ was invented by an Egyptian agricultural engineer who claimed local farmers’ wheat output soared when they used it. Now, university scientists say that the substance — produced from the green algae Spirogyra — increased the productivity of the crop by 25 per cent compared with normal fertiliser.

Read the full article from: http://www.scidev.net/en/news/green-algae-boost-wheat-yields-say-scientists.html

21 projects were presented for discussion, monitoring and evaluation to the MASMA Program Committee at the just concluded 9^th MASMA Grantees meeting held in Sarova Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa from the 29-31^st of October 2010.The 9^th Grantees meeting was the largest that has ever been held since its inception, bringing together 56 participants. In addition to 10 regular MASMA projects, the 11 new climate change projects were presented at the meeting.

On October 26, 2010 Nature Seychelles launched an innovative project to restore damaged corals in Seychelles called Reef Rescuers – Restoring Coral Reefs in the Face of Climate Change at its office the Centre for Environment and Education in Roche Caiman in the presence of Seychelles Minister for Investment, Natural Resources & Industry, Peter Sinon, US Ambassador to the Seychelles Mary Jo Wills, partners from government and the civil society, and other guests.

Coral reefs are extremely important for Seychelles, providing food, coastal protection, revenue and employment in the fishing and the tourism sectors. However, coral reefs in Seychelles and the Indian Ocean have suffered from climate-induced effects causing them to whiten and die. The project seeks to repair this damage in selected sites.

The project is financially supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and is part of the United States strategic global commitments to partner with governments, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders to address the impacts of climate change. 

“The United States is actively engaged in the mitigation of climate change. President Obama announced in Copenhagen that the US would provide funds to developing countries to assist them in meeting climate change mitigation goals.” Ambassador Wills said.

“We also believe that a historic opportunity is at hand in the Indian ocean, with Nature Seychelles, to make positive and lasting changes in the way we manage, restore and rescue our reef resources including fisheries resources and coral reefs upon which fisheries depend.” She added.

Corals of a variety of species will be grown and then planted on selected sites. Whilst growing, they will be protected from predators and other disturbances. The project will also bring in participants from Seychelles and several countries of the region.

“Over the past years people just kept on talking about coral bleaching. We decided to do something about it and use our skills and experience in restoring ecosystems on land and in saving rare birds and do the same under the sea.” Says Nirmal Shah, Nature Seychelles Chief Executive.

Minister Sinon hailed the project saying there is great and immediate need to seriously consider climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.

“Whilst our reefs continue to act as our first line of defence from rising ocean levels that threaten to erode our shores, they remain the most important habitats and spawning grounds for our main protein and daily diet – our fish supply.” He said.