It provides protection for several important tropical ecosystems; coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds.

Visits to the reserve area (especially Bongoyo and Mbudya) are a popular daytrip for both tourists and Tanzanian residents alike, the islands serving as a location for a variety of leisure activities, including snorkelling, sunbathing and hiking.

However, over recent years unregulated tourist activities has led to degradation within the reserves.

On Tanzania's mainland, it appears that there are hardly any populations left, while it's likely that a few remain to the north of Dar es Salaam.

In contrast, the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve system is made up of nine tiny, uninhabited islands, six of which are known to have colonies of coconut crabs (Mbudya, Bongoyo, Pangavini, Kendwa, Sinda Island).