Leadership and Governance
Beach Management Units (BMUs) are the lowest-level fisheries management institutions, composed of communities that co-manage marine resources with the government. COMRED has been working with the BMU leaders to improve their capacity in the governance of marine resources while encouraging trust in its leadership, accountability and transparency.
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Co-management plan
COMRED in partnership with Blue Ventures has trained and mentored over 120 BMU executive committee members from nine BMUs:
Shimoni, Mkwiro, Wasini, Kibuyuni, Majoreni, Jimbo, Vanga, Mwandamu and Munje in Kwale County. The training and mentorship focus on roles and responsibilities, financial management, leadership skills, bookkeeping, and BMU by-laws. This co-management plan can serve as the blueprint for developing more inclusive community-led conservation areas across the Kenyan coast.
Since 2021, 225 leaders from 15 Beach Management Units in Kwale and Kilifi counties have been trained and mentored on leadership skills, roles and responsibilities, financial management, bookkeeping and fisheries management.
Our Expansion
The training has been expanded to seven new community groups
- Six BMUs from Kwale (Munje, Mwandamu, Bodo, Funzi, Mwaembe, Mkunguni);
- 7 from Shimoni-Vanga seascape (Shimoni, Mkwiro, Wasini, Vanga, Jimbo, Majoreni, Kibuyuni);
- Mwaembe;
- Mkunguni;
- Bodo;
- Funzi;
- Two from Kilifi County (Roka, and Wesa);
- And one Community Forest Association in Kwale County.

The Impact
The Impact
- BMU leaders improving their understanding of their roles and responsibilities, as well as their confidence and communication skills
- Enhanced teamwork and unity
- Improved record-keeping and the presentation of financial reports during executive committee and assembly meetings, which has resulted in improved trust, transparency and accountability
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"The leadership and governance training have made me a better leader. I now have a better understanding of my roles, I have gotten better at financial bookkeeping and I have become very confident."
"The leadership and governance training have made me a better leader. I now have a better understanding of my roles, I have gotten better at financial bookkeeping and I have become very confident."

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