Private sector investment in Marine Protected Areas-Experiences of the Chumbe Island Coral Park in Zanzibar/Tanzania

Abstract

Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) illustrates issues that arise with the establishment of a private marine protected area. Though the legal and institutional environment for private investment in conservation in Zanzibar/Tanzania required much higher investment than originally anticipated, establishment and management of the park cost only a fraction of what is commonly budgeted for donorfunded projects through government agencies. Out of necessity, cost control and income-generating activities of private operations are more developed, thus creating better prospects for sustainability. Training local fishermen as park rangers by volunteers proved to be particularly cost effective and crucial to the success of the MPA and facilitates direct partnership with local stakeholders. Risks for private investors remain high though due to the generally unfavourable investment climate, the lack of long-term security of tenure, competition from over-funded donor projects and the volatile tourism market. Due to these risks, and the more noticeable conservation impact on the ground, a case is made for more donor support to partnerships of direct resource users from both the informal and formal private sectors, including to privately managed MPAs.