Expanding Quirimbas National Park (QNP) from its southernmost border north to the border is not a new idea. In 2007, Salomão Bandeira, proposed a “Rovuma/Palma National Reserve '' and a transfrontier park connection with Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park (MBREMP) in Tanzania. Expanding QNP would fold in all of the 32 islands in the archipelago, stretching nearly 400km to the border with Tanzania.



 If QNP park expansion is too challenging of a task given all of the gas exploration and production activities in the area, adapting smaller MPAs around key islands and coastal areas might be a route worth considering, which could be supported financially and technically by the oil and gas firms operating in the area.


The same area, extending into the Tanzania MBREMP, is also identified as an IUCN Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) and is part of the earth’s 36 biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions. The area has the highest diversity of corals recorded in the Western Indian Ocean (along with northern Mozambique), with almost 300 species of coral.


  The USAID SPEED+ project worked with WCS to finalize a proposed list of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and the proposed Quirimbas MPA expansion includes areas identified by WCS as KBAs: Palma, Quiterajo and Vamizi. The designation of these sites as KBAs would help justify the establishment of stronger management and conservation measures for the protection of the key marine biodiversity found in the area.



The biodiversity, threats and blue economy potential in this area are identical to what is presented in the QNP section, so we will not repeat again here. However, it is worth noting that the threat from violent extremists and from offshore gas exploration and development is much more pronounced in the Quirimbas extended geography. Within the proposed QNP expansion zones are a few notable spots worth highlighting: Vamizi and the Saint Lazarus Bank.


Vamizi is well known for its remarkable marine diversity and ecosystems. A documentary film, called “Vamizi: Cradle of Coral”, can be found on Amazon Prime and is worth watching for an in-depth overview of the island and marine biodiversity in and around Vamizi.81 Vamizi island is small: just 12 kilometers long and 2 kilometers at its widest point, it is also the largest Island in the chain. With long, untouched beaches, mangrovelined lagoons, and rich blue waters, the island is an important green turtle nesting ground.


 It is policed by the CCP. Vamizi has hosted numerous NGO and research activities through the years that have chronicled the positive effect the nonformal marine protected area has on increasing the health and abundance and distribution of reef fish and corals in the sanctuary. The MPAs were government-supported, and capacity building efforts were led by a local conservation organization on the island called Friends of Vamizi, which is part of the main high-end AndBeyond resort that was on Vamizi Island, but closed in September 2019.


A sanctuary area was established to protect critical feeding and breeding areas for sea turtles and reef fish, which is thought to have led to a significant reduction in the slaughter of nesting turtles, and an increase in fish catch.84 The main threat in the area now is violent extremism, and it was reported that in September, extremists took over the island of Vamizi, which would likely have a significant impact on turtle nesting sites. An increasing frequency of climate-related pressures such as droughts, storms and cyclones in the region is likely to impact agricultural food production and increase pressure on the marine environment


 And as mentioned previously, threats from offshore gas exploration and production, and the increased coastal development associated with those infrastructure development activities such as transforming the small village of Palma into a ‘gas city’ will continue to put pressure on Vamizi and other islands in the proposed Quirimbas MPA expansion zone. About 70 miles east of the northern Mozambique coast, or about a 5-hour boat trip, is the Saint Lazarus Bank, an underwater mountain covering almost 600 sq km. 


The seamount is full of corals and ranges in depth from between 6-60 meters towards the shallower parts, to deep vertical drop offs of more than 2,000 meters. The powerful Mozambique current carries pelagic eggs and larvae onto the corals around the bank and make it “a very peculiar place on Earth, a biodiversity hotspot, and a paradise for both the organisms living there and those having the possibility to study them.


 Numerous species can be found around the Saint Lazarus Bank, such as sea turtles, giant game fish such as Kingfish, Barracuda, Marlin, Sailfish as well the White-tipped Oceanic shark. Fishing trips depart from Ibo Island, as well as private dive charters. The Saint Lazarus Bank is classified as a Special Use Zone under Mozambican legislation, therefore permits are required to fish and dive in the area.

Non-formal marine CCAs also exist north of the Quirimbas National Park, in the northernmost set of islands in the archipelago. According to Pereira (2020) there exists six small community sanctuaries in the northern Quirimbas: Nsangue, Quifuque, Lalane, Malinde, Quiwia.