Research & Monitoring
Ecological baselines, fish biomass surveys, and coral cover assessments. The evidence base that underpins every programme and every policy recommendation OAF makes.
With us and partners: Coral Guardian · IUCN
Good conservation is grounded in evidence. Oceans Alive's Research & Monitoring programme generates the ecological baselines, fish biomass surveys, coral cover assessments, and biodiversity data that underpin every other programme the organisation runs.
Community reef monitors - local trained divers - conduct regular transect surveys of the Kuruwitu tengefu and surrounding areas. Their data tracks coral cover recovery, fish biomass changes, and the expansion of species into previously degraded areas. This data is presented to Kenya Fisheries Service, county government, and international partners to inform marine policy.
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2025, Oceans Alive presented a decade of reef monitoring data demonstrating that community-led marine governance produces measurable, sustained ecological recovery - making the Kilifi model the most evidence-backed community conservation programme in East Africa.
Partners
Coral Guardian · IUCN
Programme
Research & Monitoring
Science · Programme 14
“Our data does not just tell us how the reef is doing. It tells the government how to protect it.”
- Oceans Alive Research & Monitoring
Connected Work
Related Programmes
Coral Reef Restoration
Kenya's most active community-led coral nursery. 25,000+ colonies hand-planted since 2019. Local fishers trained and employed as reef gardeners.
Community Co-Management (LMMA)
Kenya's first LMMA. 120 km² under a formal management plan signed in 2022, placing communities at the centre of marine governance. A landmark in Kenyan marine governance history.
Marine Governance & Policy
Translating community-collected data into national marine policy frameworks. OAF presented findings at IUCN 2025, placing the Kilifi model on the global conservation stage.
Support This Programme
Your donation directly funds conservation work on Kenya's coast.