Zanzibar is positioning marine conservation not as a constraint on growth, but as the foundation of its long-term economic strategy, according to Deputy Principal Secretary Zahoor Al-Kusi of the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries.

Speaking at the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Al-Kusi said the archipelago has moved from international pledges to domestic implementation, expanding conservation coverage around its two main islands and introducing stricter protections for key coral reef systems that underpin both tourism and fisheries.

The message from Zanzibar was clear: protecting climate-resilient reefs is essential to preserving a tourism industry that generates about half of GDP, while also safeguarding fisheries that support…