Our Story
The Western Indian Ocean Coral Reef Restoration Network (WIOCRRN) is working to build a cohesive, well-coordinated regional network that supports and advances coral reef restoration across the Western Indian Ocean region. Its primary purpose is to align efforts among practitioners, scientists, and institutions to share resources, knowledge, and strategies tailored to a highly diverse region with varying needs, capacities, and reef ecology.
Developed over a series of in-person and virtual workshops, which includes the Special Session during the 12th WIOMSA Symposium titled, ‘Coral reef restoration in the Western Indian Ocean: Lessons learned from restoration planning and implementation’, A Virtual Regional Workshop titled ‘Reef Restoration Initiatives in the WIO: Lesson sharing and formation of a WIO Reef Restoration Network’ held in June 2024, and an in-person regional workshop titled ‘Reef Restoration Initiatives in the Western Indian Ocean for Lesson Sharing Capacity Building and Networking' held in July 2024. The WIOCRRN is foreseen to steadily and persistently manifest ongoing great work on reef restoration that still remains to be recognized, explored and upscaled.
The WIOCRRN is led by TNC Africa, with support from a core team: the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, Coral Restoration Consortium, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mwambao Coastal Community Network, REEFolution, Reef Resilience Network, Nature Seychelles, University of Mauritius, and the Université de Toliara.
Geographical Area of Focus: Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mayotte, and Reunion.
Restoration in the Region
These sittings have brought together restoration practitioners including community members to learn and share experiences, information, and best practices in coral reef restoration, and establish a WIO reef restoration network. The study ‘A Review of Coral Reef Restoration Initiatives in The Western Indian Ocean Region’ (in review) gives the current status of coral reef restoration. In the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), coral reefs are uniquely shaped by a mix of ecological and oceanographic conditions, including monsoon-driven currents and high rates of endemism. The region hosts diverse reef types, from fringing reefs along the East African coast to remote atoll systems in the Seychelles. While coral restoration efforts in the WIO are still emerging, they are gaining momentum through country-specific approaches where initiatives are increasingly community-led and locally tailored to ecological and socioeconomic diversity. Strengthening coordination and knowledge-sharing through platforms like WIOCRRN is essential for scaling effective restoration.
Our Priorities
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Developing a strong, regionally coordinated network to support coral reef restoration.
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Develop shared learning opportunities for restoration within the region.
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Tailored, effective restoration strategies that respect the ecological, policy, and cultural differences across WIO nations.
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Develop and maintain a comprehensive membership of the Network
The group is currently working on developing a special session for the 2025 WIOMSA Symposium that will highlight restoration efforts throughout the region. WIOMSA is scheduled for Sept 28 to Oct 3rd in Mombasa, Kenya.
What we are working on
Image from the WIO Region taken by the Coral Restoration Foundation
Nadeem Nazurally
Coordinator
Meet the WIOCRRN Coordinator
The WIOCRRN is led by TNC Africa, with support from a core team: the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, Coral Restoration Consortium, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mwambao Coastal Community Network, REEFolution, Reef Resilience Network, Nature Seychelles, University of Mauritius, and the Université de Toliara.
