The extraction of live coral to burn and produce “white lime” or “chokaa” has a long history in Tanzania, yet in many areas it is believed that this practice has reached unsustainable levels and is considered to be one of the main contributors to reef and forest degradation along the coast. This assessment was developed to describe the size, geographic extent and socioeconomics of the coral mining and lime production industry within the buffer zone of Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park.