To date, the most important accomplishment of the Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership (TCMP) is the formal adoption of the National Coastal Strategy in December 2003.

The vision of the National Coastal Strategy is of a coast with thriving coastal settlements, where people who rely on the sea and its abundant resources for their food and livelihood are actively working to protect and sustain their resource base. It further envisions the development of new coastal economic opportunities that sustainably contribute to both local and national development and diversified employment opportunities for coastal residents. It calls for the creation of partnerships between government and all segments of Tanzanian society — resource users, the private sector, academic and research institutions and others — who work together to implement the strategy.

The goal of the National Coastal Strategy is “to preserve, protect and develop the resources of Tanzania’s coast for use by the people of today and succeeding generations to ensure food security and to support economic growth.” In order to achieve this goal, the Strategy calls for seven actions to be completed by the year 2025.

1. Support planning and integrated management of coastal resources and activities at the local level and provide mechanisms to balance national and local interests.
2. Promote integrated and sustainable approaches to the development of major economic uses of the coast to optimize benefits and minimize negative impacts.
3. Conserve and restore critical habitats and areas of high biodiversity while ensuring that coastal people continue to benefit from the sustainable use of these resources.
4. Establish an integrated planning and management mechanism for coastal areas of high economic interest or with substantial vulnerability to natural hazards.
5. Develop and use an effective coastal ecosystem research, monitoring and assessment system that will allow already available — as well as new — scientific and technical information to inform ICM decisions.
6. Build both human and institutional capacity for inter-disciplinary and intersectoral management of coastal resources.
7. Provide meaningful opportunities for stakeholder involvement in the coastal development process and the implementation of coastal management policies.The National ICM Strategy is currently being implemented through various activities linked to the seven strategy statements. At the local level, the key implementing mechanisms are district action planning and special area management planning.

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