K2 – Kenya Coast

Kuruwitu Conservation and Welfare Association (KCWA) has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2003.  It was established initially to stop people over fishing and harvesting coral and aquarium fish in one small coastal area but has grown way beyond this initial remit in scope, vision and impact.

AEFF’s film ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’ recorded the first three years of rehabilitation of the coral and reef structure, which then provided the habitat for fish to rebuild numbers and species.

The film clearly represented the progress and vision of the KCWA, gave it credibility at a professional level and gave the members confidence to carry on with their efforts. The film clearly showed how a community with a common purpose, and lots of hard work, can transform a coastline.

The project has had considerable impact and influence on other coastal communities. Twenty new marine areas, at various stages of development, have been formed along the Kenyan and Tanzanian coast.

Kuruwitu has been extended out to the deep water reef and extended along the coast.

Kuruwitu has become a central hub for training and development in these new areas, with the first film playing an important part in spreading the word all along the coast.

So at this very positive stage, but with lots still to be done, the KCWA has been asking itself ‘What next’?  The answers to this question represent a whole new chapter in the KCWA’s development.  So much so, that we decided there was a need for another film to chart this progress and highlight the issues along the way.

Marine issues are of vital importance to, not only the conservation of marine life, but to the livelihoods and survival of the very people on whom these resources depend.

Filming of new underwater material is at an advanced stage. New weird- looking and wonderful species, recorded by scientists, have appeared in the Kuruwitu Conservation area.

In addition filming of some of the new areas created after Kuruwitu’s success, has been started. It is interesting to compare the habitat and fish numbers in these areas compared to Kuruwitu today.
It is the film record that really brings home to everyone how much the people had depleted their reefs and how much there is to gain by conserving these marine assets in a sustainable manner.