A Literature Review

This working paper takes stock of the academic literature on the governance of coastal resources and examines the emergence of various instruments, their implementation experiences and their implications in terms of sustainability outcomes. More specifically, it seeks to interrogate the literature in order to: (1) highlight the types of actors involved, their relations and their networks; (2) identify the main processes involved in the governance of coastal resources and different partnership models; and (3) evaluate the outcomes of these processes on social and ecological sustainability. It is the result of activities undertaken by the New Partnerships for Sustainability (NEPSUS) research and capacity building project, which analyses sustainability partnerships in three key natural resource sectors in Tanzania: forestry, wildlife and coastal resources. This paper reviews the overall literature on governance of coastal resources, with the aim of identifying gaps and shaping methodological choices for fieldwork

Sustainability Partnerships for the Governance of Coastal Resources in Tanzania

The paper examines the experience of sustainability partnerships for the management of coastal resources in Tanzania. It identifies key actors and governance dynamics, with focus on decentralization processes, legitimacy-building and participation of local communities. The paper first provides a brief status of coastal resources in Tanzania and a historical overview of the evolution of co-management practices. Then, it examines actors and processes at the national and local levels in relation to two types of co-management: Marine Parks (MPAs) and Beach Management Units (BMUs). In view of ongoing research under the New Partnerships for Sustainability project (NEPSUS), it provides guidance on research gaps in specific relation to the Mnazi Bay Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park (MBREMP) and selected BMUs in Mtwara region, Southern Tanzania