The East African coast stretches for 5,500 km along the Indian Ocean and in- cludes the coastlines of Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. The Ken- yan coast covers about 600 km from the Somali border in the north to the Tan- zanian border in the south. The southern part of the Kenyan Coast, below Ma- lindi, consists of tiers of pleistocene reefs above and below sea level. North of Malindi, the coast is formed by broad sedimentary plains drained by the Tana and Athi-Sabaki rivers. These rivers dominate the coastline due to the sedimen- tation they bring from the agricultural and industrial hinterland. The continental shelf is narrow except off Malindi and the Tana River mouth (Frazier 1993; UNEP 1998a).
The Coastal Region is generally low and is characterized by the extensive fossil reef, which lies a few meters above the present sea level. The coastal plain is backed in the interior by a line of hills that rarely exceed an altitude of 300 m except in the southern parts where the Shimba Hills reach around 1,000 m above sea level. Further inland, the Taita Hills rise to an elevation of 1,500 m (Foeken 2000). Most of the shoreline, apart from the Malindi area, is receding as a result of coastal erosion. Sand supplies from rivers and coral reefs are not sufficient to keep up with the rise in sea level, and the problem is further exac- erbated by coastal development.
The climate on the Kenyan coast is dominated by large-scale pressure sys- tems from the Western Indian Ocean and the two distinct monsoon periods. The north-east monsoon prevails from November to March, the south-east monsoon from May to October. The tidal range is about four kilometres. Annual rainfall on land close to the sea is about 1,000 mm whereas a few kilometres inland it is only 700 mm. The shoreline exists of rocky fossil coral cliffs, mangrove stands and sandy beaches (Obura 2001; UNEP 1998a).
A fringing reef parallels the shores to the south and to the north anywhere from 0.1 to 1.0 km offshore interrupted at creek and river outlets (Map 1, p. xii). Coral reefs are among the most productive ecosystems with great biodiversity (McClanahan & Obura 1996). The reefs also contain special habitats like tidal pools and, with shorelines, are important fishing grounds for the artisanal fish- ers. Other marine resources include sea grasses and seaweeds, mangroves, sea turtles, marine mammals, crustaceans and various billfish (Aloo 2000). Special features include the Lamu Archipelago with its extensive mangrove forests; the Tana River which is Kenya’s largest river and discharges through a complex wetland system into Ungwana Bay; the Sabaki River which incorporates the Athi and Galana Rivers and discharges north of Malindi; Kilifi Creek; the coral islands like Wasini Island, Chale Island and Funzi Island, and Gazi and Funzi Bay.
Coast Province has six administrative districts that border the sea, namely from north to south: Lamu, Tana River, Malindi, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale (Map 1). The study area is situated in Malindi and Kilifi districts, extending from Ras Ngomeni (the Ngomeni peninsula) to Takaungu Creek, a coastline of roughly 125 km and consists of five coastal tracts with two landing sites each. From North to South these are the Ngomeni, Malindi, Mida, Kilifi6 and Ta-
kaungu coastal tracts. This more or less covers the coast of Kilifi and Malindi districts excepting about 25 km north and 25 km south. This choice was made for logistic reasons and to ensure cultural consistency.
In 1999, the total population of Coast Province was 2.49 million people and that of Malindi and Kilifi districts was 825,855 people (Kenya 2002a; Statoids 2008). The coastal inhabitants belong to various ethnic groups, mainly Mi- jikenda, Arab and Swahili. They are generally poor and rely heavily on simple, traditional methods of food production, which include subsistence farming and
artisanal fishing. Fishing provides the principle source of animal protein and is an income earning substitute, especially during the high fishing season. The predominant nearshore activities include artisanal fishing, shrimp trawling, other commercial extraction and tourism, but marine resource use is largely un- regulated (Obura 2000).
The Ngomeni coastal tract is characterized by open access to the sea, man-
groves, mud flats and sandy beaches but the absence of a fringing reef. There are two landing sites, Ngomeni village and opposite Robinson’s Island. The
Malindi coastal tract is near the Malindi National Reserve with one landing site
in Malindi town at the very end of the reef, which at this point is polluted and covered by sediments from the Sabaki River. The second landing site, Ma- yungu, is a small cove amidst dry, rocky land in the middle of the Malindi Re- serve. The Mida coastal tract consists of the Watamu and Uyombo landing
sites. Watamu is situated within the Marine Park of that name; Uyombo is adja- cent to this Park but fishers have to pass through the Park to reach their fishing grounds. The first site is situated on a sandy beach with nearby coral rocks tow- ering over the sea and pounding waves. Uyombo, the second site, lies at the en- trance of Mida creek, a large inlet that falls largely dry during ebb tide. The
Kilifi coastal tract consists of the landing sites of Bofa and Kilifi Ferry that are
both within easy reach of Kilifi town. Bofa is further up the coast with small rocky outcroppings, while Kilifi Ferry is situated at the mouth of the deep Kilifi creek that serves as a harbour for large vessels and pleasure yachts. The Ta- kaungu coastal tract is characterized by coral soils and palm cover and consists
of landing sites at Takaungu town and Shariani. The coral reefs here are patchy in nature and further out to sea. Takaungu town is situated at a deep creek that falls largely dry at ebb tide: Shariani is on the seaside and is steep and rocky.