Translating high-level climate commitments into tangible marine protection requires bridging the gap between scientific evidence, national policy, and sustainable finance.

The adoption of the WIO Regional Seagrass Strategy 2026–2035 under Decision CP12/10 further reinforces this commitment, establishing a common roadmap to mobilize blended finance and safeguard critical coastal ecosystems at scale.

A new coral reef and climate change publication opportunity is open in Frontiers in Marine Science. 🪸 The deadline for abstract submissions is 18th January 2027, with full manuscripts due on 8th May 2027.

The peer-reviewed Research Topic, "Corals, reef-associated organisms and coral reefs in a changing climate: from stress and decline to recovery and rehabilitation," invites research examining thermal anomalies, ecosystem degradation, and emerging rehabilitation practices.

Registration and the call for abstracts are now open for the 10th International Sandy Beach Symposium (ISBS10), scheduled for 21-27 June 2027 at Cape St Francis Resort in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

The symposium provides a global platform for researchers, practitioners, and students to present findings, exchange insights, and build collaborative networks dedicated to understanding and conserving sandy beach ecosystems.

🌊WIOMSA, HUB Ocean, and SeaSketch have opened registration for “Introduction to Working with Ocean Data in the Cloud”, a free four-week online training program running from 9th November to 10th December 2026.

Designed for researchers, managers, and practitioners across the Western Indian Ocean, the course introduces participants to the Ocean Data Platform, desktop GIS integration, introductory analysis in Python and R, and marine spatial planning workflows in SeaSketch.

WIOMSA, with support from Blue Nature Alliance, recently held a WIO-COMPAS training for Portuguese-speaking assessors in Maputo. Using the WIO-COMPAS Assessor Framework as its basis, the training focused on the principles and practices underpinning fair and consistent assessment.

How do we turn training into lasting improvements in marine conservation? This week in Maputo, LMMA & MPA practitioners from Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania have come together for a two day Training of Trainers workshop on strengthening marine conservation in the WIO.

The participants are working through a participatory Look–Think–Act–Review approach: translating competency assessments into practical capacity development goals, co-designing training plans, and identifying how to track changes in management practice—not just attendance.