Within the sanctuary itself no fishing of any kind is allowed, and in the National Park no commercial fishing is allowed (local people are allowed to fish using traditional methods in most areas of the Park, as are sport fishermen). The local fishermen who used to have camps on Quilálea and Sencar agreed to remove their camps from the two islands which make up the sanctuary.

Most of them then returned to acquire new skills in construction. The enthusiastic former fishermen have undergone in-house training to provide hospitality services for visitors to Quilálea.

Quilálea's buildings are of local rocks, seawater was used in a traditional cement mix, so the fragile island ecology and its limited stocks of fresh water were preserved. The "island villas" are roofed with traditional palm thatch (makuti) ideal for cool and unobtrusive comfort.

The marine sanctuary functions as a nursery. Turtles are nesting on the beach, dugongs have been sighted many times in the sanctuary, and humpback whales shelter in the channel during the months of July to January before continuing their journey to the south. Numbers of all marine organisms are high and increasing.

A total of 375 different species of fish have been identified in the sanctuary area.

The Quilálea Marine Sanctuary contains areas of three of the World Wide Fund for NatureÕs Global 200 Eco-Regions. These are the most important and endangered habitats in the world. Which are:

• Southern Inhambane-Zanzibar Coastal Forest
• East African Mangroves
• Eastern Africa Marine Eco-region

The Quilálea Marine Sanctuary was the first protected area to be created in the Quirimbas Archipelago. Come and join in our commitment to the sanctuary's protection.