Pemba’s new marine protected areas show the power of collaboration to meet 30×30 goal
Omar Hamad Salim, like many other fishermen from Tumbe village, relies on the ocean for food, an income and a way of life. A number of years ago, he and his fellow fishers began returning from the sea with less and less. “Fishers would go to sea and return with very few fish, or sometimes […]
In the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, fishermen on Pemba Island's east coast are facing dwindling fish catches, causing significant concern for their livelihoods and way of life. Omar Hamad Salim, a fisherman from Tumbe village, recalls that fishers used to return from the sea with abundant catches, but now often return with few or no fish at all. This trend has persisted for an extended period.
Realizing the need to act, a group of 12 elected members from the fisheries committee for the Tumbe shehia, or ward, on the northeast shore of Pemba Island decided to take action. They conducted a more detailed assessment of the situation, which they presented to the rest of the village during a public meeting. The fisheries committee on Pemba’s east coast had previously seen success with the establishment of the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA) in 2005, which increased fish populations and improved livelihoods for fishers in that area.
This success inspired them to wonder if new marine protected areas (MPAs) could deliver similar benefits in the east of the island.
While some villagers were initially hesitant, concerned about the potential impact on their children's school fees and other needs, the fisheries committee pressed on. By working together and collaborating on the establishment of new MPAs, the fishermen of Tumbe village hope to reverse the declining fish populations and secure a sustainable future for their community.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
