How Tanzanian octopus fishery closures have transformed community and marine life

Por Blue Ventures

02 de November de 2023

In the midst of Tanzania's beautiful coastal landscape lies the idyllic island of Songosongo, where an incredible story of transformation is unfolding through innovative and inclusive fisheries management and community-driven initiatives.

How Tanzanian octopus fishery closures have transformed community and marine life

The fishers of Songosongo, who rely on the ocean for their livelihoods, recently caught over 35 tonnes of octopus after reopening an octopus fishery closure, making an impressive US$78,100 in income. This is quite a leap from their catch of just nine tonnes at their first similar event eight years ago. The implementation of octopus fishery closures, coupled with community vigilance, has not only resulted in better catches but has also notably enhanced the local marine environment, promoting an increased variety of marine life, largely due to healthier seagrasses.

The journey towards better fisheries management in Songosongo began in 2009 with education programs by the government and charity organisations that stressed the importance of caring for their marine environment.

Hussein Ramo, a government fisheries officer, explained why they started the education programmes;

"Fishers had seen that fish stocks were reducing from overfishing. They were not giving them time to replenish or grow because of fishing daily throughout the year. From our research, we knew that octopuses need about three months to reproduce and grow to adulthood, and we shared this information with communities."

Hussein Ramo, a government fisheries officer, Tanzania.

In 2017, after a learning visit to Zanzibar and Tanga, Songosongo community representatives saw evidence of the impact of temporarily closing off areas to fishing.

Ali Kambwili, a fisher and leader in the Songosongo Beach Management Unit (BMU), shared his thoughts from when he first heard about octopus fishery closures;

"Those who went to Zanzibar told us about the benefits they saw in those communities from octopus fishery closures, and after our discussions, people voted for us to start closing off certain areas. At first, I was unsure because it had not been tried here. Many people, however, were for the idea, and I decided to give it a chance. After all the benefits we have seen so far, I now strongly believe in giving the octopus time to reproduce."

Ali Kambwili, a fisher and leader, Songosongo BMU.

Another member of the BMU, Saidi Sadamu, echoed his support of the fisheries management practice;

"Before we started doing octopus fishery closures, I would get average returns of about 10 kg depending on the day, but now I can catch 50 kg per day, even during the closure period, because of the overflow from the closed area. It helped me open my shop, which will secure my and my family's future when I am no longer able to fish."

The partnership between the community of Songosongo and Blue Ventures started in 2020 when the fishers needed help connecting with seafood buyers for their growing octopus catch. Mwambao, a local community organisation working with Blue Ventures, helped link the Songosongo fishers with a seafood processing and exporting company, enabling the community to benefit from the lucrative octopus global market.

During this time, Blue Ventures recognised that Songosongo's goals of improving its peoples' well-being, managing its fisheries wisely, and protecting its marine environment aligned with its values. The community also showed a strong interest in having a structured way to make decisions together and embraced the national policies that supported their efforts.

Khamis Juma, Blue Ventures partner support officer in Tanzania, explained why the partnership was ideal,

"We noted that the different stakeholders needed more clarity in their respective roles and that the village government required reorganisation. The geographical location of the islet, a one-hour boat drive, also limited the direct interaction with the government officers and other technical resources, prompting us to donate a fibre boat to the BMU."

Blue Ventures went all-in to support Songosongo, providing technical, financial, and material assistance to ensure the octopus fishery closures ran smoothly. They helped the community build expertise in co-management with the government.

The roles of the BMU and the government in Tanzania are clearly laid out in national co-management guidelines. The BMU takes the lead in coordinating fisheries management activities, deciding who can participate, determining when and where octopus fishery closures happen and collecting data. The district government is responsible for putting policies into action and offering advice.

"With the number of fishing communities in Tanzania, it is hard for the government to place an officer in each location to oversee fishing activities. There was a need to find a way to involve communities and help them see that they are the owners and beneficiaries of marine resources. Because of working together, illegal fishing has reduced because we get insider information on those not following regulations,"

said Ramo.

To make informed decisions and keep improving their management practices, the Songosongo BMU also set up a data collection unit. It ensures they gather, store, and share data collected during octopus fishery closures and reopenings with the right people, including partner organisations, donors and government.

Kambwili shared the two major changes he has noted as chair of the data collection unit since the community started implementing octopus fishery closures,

"The octopuses we catch now are much bigger and of good quality, and where fishers before were only making money to survive a few days, they can now budget for months, pay school fees and save for the future."

Women in Songosongo have not been left behind in the evolution of fisheries management. They now outnumber the men in BMU leadership positions, which was not the case a few years ago. The community and government have made a concerted effort to include women by conducting leadership training and showcasing the benefits of the whole community's participation. Now, many women are enthusiastic, with a considerable percentage also participating in octopus fishing.

Secretary of the data collection unit, Zuhura Saidi, urged women everywhere to get involved in fisheries management;

"As women, we may not help in nighttime patrols, but we can participate in daytime patrols and other activities like data collection. I want to encourage women in other communities not to fear getting into leadership positions. We must embrace activities outside the home as they affect us too."

Zuhura Saidi, Secretary of the Songosongo data collection unit.

Ramo added that the enthusiasm for fisheries closures has spread throughout coastal Tanzania as fishing communities observe and see the impact and returns in places like Songosongo. Many who haven't adopted the practice ask the government to help them implement it.

To communities that are reluctant to set up octopus and other species closures, Sadamu encouraged them and said,

"Just like on a farm, you have to allow the produce to grow; in our case, that closure period enables the octopus to multiply and grow bigger. It also benefits everyone, especially in our community, where women fish on foot."

Kambwili also urged others to give the model a try,

"Our fishers cannot go far into the ocean when there aren't many fish near the shore because we don't have suitable boats. But with the octopus fishery closures, everyone can catch enough fish because there are more. We've also heard about other places where the environment is being destroyed, and fish are disappearing. We have seen how this practice is helping protect our reefs and the ocean life. We can proudly hand this legacy to our children, ensuring they inherit a healthy environment."

The story of Songosongo is proof of the potential for positive change within coastal communities. It's a shining example of hope for a future where coastal areas and communities can thrive sustainably.