An investigation into community fishing practices around Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Abstract

Zanzibar is a region with a rich coastal biodiversity, with the marine environment providing a vast majority of the nation’s income through fishing and tourism activities. These coastal resources consist of white sandy beaches and clear blue water, rich in biodiversity and ecosystem processes. The human coastal populations residing in many of the coastal villages rely on the ocean to provide means of sustenance and income through fishing activities. In order to effectively manage these coastal resources, an integrated resource and environmental management approach needs to be adopted. This study aimed to identify and investigate the current fishing practices used by local fishermen by means of semi-structured interviews and informal discussions with local fishermen and villagers. The study shows that a vast majority of the fishermen, who reside in the villages surrounding Mnemba Island, are of the opinion that the increased number of tourist-related activities has resulted in a decline in fish stocks. This was attributed to the steady increase in the number of fishermen, as well as the lack of proper fishing vessels and equipment. This study also assessed data provided by the &Beyond Lodge situated on Mnemba Island. The study provides recommendations and conclusions for effective fisheries management in order to achieve a sustainable fishing model for the fishing grounds surrounding Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Zanzibar spog met wit sandstrande, helderblou water en ʼn groot biodiversiteit kuslangs. Naas toerisme is visvang die vernaamste inkomstebron. Die inwoners van talle kusdorpe maak immers ʼn bestaan uit visvang. ʼn Geïntegreerde hulpbron- en omgewingsbestuursplan is noodsaaklik om hulpbronne langs die kus volhoubaar te benut. Hierdie studie het gepoog om die heersende visvangpraktyke te bepaal deur halfgestruktureerde onderhoude en informele gesprekke met vissers en kusbewoners te voer. Data wat deur die &Beyond Lodge op die eiland Mnemba verstrek is, is ook by die studie betrek. Dit blyk dat die meeste vissers, wat op die eiland Mnemba woon, van mening is dat groeiende toerisme ʼn daling in visgetalle tot gevolg het. Hulle skryf die kleiner vangste insgelyks toe aan ʼn geleidelike toename in die aantal vissers en ʼn gebrek aan behoorlike vissersvaartuie en toerusting. Hierdie studie doen ten slotte aanbevelings vir ʼn volhoubare bestuursmodel in die visvanggebied om die eiland Mnemba digby Zanzibar in Tanzanië.

I-Zanzibar iyisiyingi esinothe ngenhlobo eyahlukahlukene yendalo yemvelo engasogwini lolwandle, kanti indawo yasolwandle yiyo kanye engenisa imali eningi ngemisebenzi yokudoba kanye nemboni yezokuvakasha. Le mithombo eyigugu elingasogwini lolwandle yequkethe amabhishi anezihlabathi zolwandle ezimhlophe kanye namanzi acwebezelayo, kanti inothile ngendalo yemvelo kanye nohlelo lwendalo yemvelo. Izihlwele zabantu ezihlala ngasogwini lolwandle ezigodini eziningi ezigudle ulwandle impilo yazo yencike olwandle ukuze iziphilise futhi ingenise imali ngokudoba izinhlanzi. Ukuze le ithombo yempilo yasolwandle ilawulwe ngendlela efanele, kudingeka uhlelo lwezokuphathwa kwendawo olwamukelekile. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuvumbulula kanye nokuphenya izingqubo zokudoba ezisetshenziswa abadobi basekhaya ngokuqhuba izinhlolovo ezihleliwe kanye nezingxoxo ezingahlelekile nabadobi bendawo kanye nezakhamuzi zalezo zigodi. Ucwaningo selukhombisile ukuthi inqwaba yabadobi abahlala ezindaweni ezigudle isiQhingi saseMnemba zinombono wokuthi inani elengeziwe lemisebenzi emayelana nezivakashi yiyo kanye esedale ukuthi inani lezinhlanzi linciphe kanti futhi lokhu sekuholele ekutheni kukhule inani labadobi basezindaweni lezo zasemakhaya kanye nokwentuleka kweziketshana zokudoba ezifanele kanye nezisetshenziswa. Lolu cwaningo futhi luhlola idatha enikezelwe yi--the &Beyond Lodge engasesiQhingini saseMnemba. Ucwaningo lunikeza izinqumo kanye neziphetho ezimayelana nokuphatha kahle ukuze kufinyelelwe kwimodeli yezokudoba esimelele ukwenzela indawo yokudoba ezombeleze isiQhingi saseMnemba, e-Zanzibar kanye naseTanzania.