Diving and conservation go hand in hand on Vamizi Island where all who live here help to protect the sea and its creatures. To make things easier, the island lies within the Quirimbas Archipelago Marine National Park and the most important beneficiaries are the turtles, the corals and numerous tropical fish species.
There is still a strict no fishing area within three kilometres of the beach at Vamizi and all fishing is done on a catch-and-release basis. But the island does support the local community’s fishing needs - which has been their way of life for generations.
Take part in conserving the sea
If you book that Mozambique diving holiday at Vamizi, you will no doubt enjoy your leisure time under the water and also get involved in conservation activities if you want to.
You can meet the permanent conservation team on Vamizi Island. A decision by the board of Vamizi resulted in the employment of eight full time rangers and a marine biologist to look after Vamizi’s Green and Hawksbill Turtles, listed as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This is part of the partnership with WWF in recognition of the importance of the region of marine conservation in East Africa.
The reefs are in very good condition and remain unbleached - home to more than 180 species of coral and 400 species of fish. That is more than half the species in Mozambique! And it is thought that fish nurseries in the mangrove forests and the rich sea grass covering the sea bed off Vamizi Island are some of the most important breeding grounds for the rest of the Mozambique ocean!
Complex food chains
Vamizi is ideally situated in specific sea currents which contain huge reserves of minute plankton, a major food source for most species living within this complex coral reef system. Divers should look out for huge groups of Giant Potato Cod, Grey Reef Sharks, Snapper, Batfish, Turtles, Barracuda and more. Dive sites such as Neptune’s Arm, Fraggle Rock and Skunk Alley suit both beginners and experienced divers.
A good time to dive at Vamizi is during September to November when the sea is calmer, the ocean currents are not as strong and the water temperature is a pleasant 26 to 28 ºC.
