In Tanzania, research and academic institutions were actively involved in the drafting of the Marine Parks and Reserves Act and the National Integrated Coastal Management Strategy and their implementation. As an example of the latter, the Institute of Marine Sciences played an important role in the establishment of the Mafia Island Marine Park and Mnazi Bay Marine Park between 1995-2000 as part of the implementation of the Marine Parks and Reserves Act. More universities in the region are now offering postgraduate degree programmes in areas of marine and coastal science and associated resource management disciplines.