Redefining Conservation and the Management of the Manyange Na Elombo Marine National Park

Key stakeholders have been trained to enhance the governance and monitoring of artisanal fishing in the Manyange Na Elombo-Campo Marine National Park, located in Cameroon’s South Region. Discussions were centred on providing lasting solutions and strategies for effective management and good governance within the Park in a workshop that took place on August 20th, 2025.

This initiative follows a 2022 assessment of the park using the Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET), which uncovered several weaknesses. Consultations with local committees also highlighted governance gaps, especially in transparency and access to information.

To tackle these issues, participants were introduced to principles of good governance consistent with international standards. An evaluation grid and monitoring dashboard were developed specifically for the park. According to Eddy Nnanga, the workshop facilitator, “This training will help boost efficient management and governance of the marine protected area.”

“This workshop has helped us elaborate and improve our evaluation strategies of the Park, by setting up a self-evaluation process”, said Sambou Mamballa Patrick, the highest authority of the Park, locally referred to as the conservator.

The interactive training helped participants gain a deeper understanding of governance principles in their local context. Key challenges, such as conflicts, weak monitoring, and non-compliance with rules, were clearly identified. The group also defined priority actions to improve transparency, participation, and accountability.

The workshop was organised under the project “Renforcement de la résilience du Parc Marin Manyangue Na Elombo Campo face au changement climatique”, which aims to strengthen the park’s resilience to climate change. As part of this project, AMCO, in partnership with Tube Awù and Septentrion Environnement, seeks to strengthen the governance of the park by training stakeholders in the fundamental principles of good governance and co-management, following the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List criteria. Local community leaders, civil society organisations, and authorities all took part.

The workshop ended with three main recommendations:

• Raise awareness and train local communities in governance, sustainable management, and park protection.
• Establish better systems for handling complaints.
• Involve stakeholders in research, monitoring, and decision-making within the park.