Coastal and marine research and capacity building

Most, if not all, of the recommendations contained in this State of the Coast Report, relies on two cross-cutting and fundamental qualities. Firstly, managers, decision- and policy-makers and the various end-users have access to the products of scientific research in order to wisely govern and
manage the use and exploitation of resources. In this context, data, information and knowledge are the basis for realising the benefit of an Ocean Economy. Secondly, both the management of resources and the underpinning knowledge base relies on the availability of people with the appropriate capability to be responsible custodians of such resources. Accordingly, education, awareness and training offer a long-term solution for the sustainable development of a coastal and ocean economy.
The core objectives of this chapter are first, to help in the understanding of how national and regional research agendas can contribute to a consistent and complete “bigger picture” of data, information and knowledge required
to manage the coastal and marine resources of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), and secondly, present processes that contribute to the regional and national knowledge-base. The first part of the chapter will examine the past,
current and future coastal and marine research priorities at various scales and how research has been or is conducted in the region. The second part of the chapter will explore the development of regional capacity for coastal and marine research and how existing research has been supported in the past. The chapter will conclude with successes on how science has contributed to decision- and policy-making in the region.