Diffusion of innovation in community-managed fisheries

Harnessing data for better returns on the East African coast

By Blue Ventures

August 16^th, 2024

Tanzania's northeastern coastline is teeming with rich fisheries. In Tanga, coral reefs and marine protected areas line the shores, offering refuge to marine life and supporting vibrant fisheries for the coastal communities who call this region home. Here, local fishers target shell and finfish - including prawns from the mangrove-lined estuaries that weave through the landscape.

Diffusion of innovation in community-managed fisheries

About 60 kilometres north of Tanga, on Kenya’s south coast, lies Kwale County, a region equally abundant in marine life. Its high density of mangrove forests and reefs support thriving octopus, prawn, and other finfish fisheries.

In both Tanga and Kwale, the ocean plays a crucial role in the livelihoods and culture of the local communities.

In partnership with Mwambao, Maliasili, Sea Sense, and COMRED, Blue Ventures, communities from Kwale County, Kenya, and Mkuranga in Tanzania recently visited their peers in Tanga. The event aimed to promote the exchange of best practices in fisheries monitoring and to review how communities can effectively use fisheries data to manage their resources.

Community-led fisheries management had seldom relied on data until recently when communities started collecting and analysing. Data driven decision-making is crucial as it strengthens informed choices based on evidence to help improve the quality and accuracy of community decisions in fisheries management at local, national, and regional levels.” Clay Obota, technical specialist, fisheries - Blue Ventures, Kenya.

In Kwale, communities collect data using mobile phones. The data allows them to collectively map out fisheries-rich areas - an exercise where fishers identify fishing spots and the commonly targeted fish species caught. Such information supports how and where communities set up permanent octopus fishery closures.

This visit has allowed us to see how our peers collect data and how they use it. We are now aware that both communities have relied on data to set up fishery closures. The only difference is that we permanently close one zone,” Mwashee Hassan, community data collector - Munje Beach Management Unit (BMU), Kenya.

Fisher communities from Tanga have collected data every three months for the past four years. Similar to their counterparts in Kenya, this data has been instrumental in helping the community set up temporary fishery closures.

One fisher from Mkinga BMU in Tanga described their data collection process: “We collect fisheries data eight times a month, targeting octopus fishers on foot and boats. We record the weight and length of the octopus, sorting it according to size, which determines the price during auctions. The bigger the octopus, the better the price and income for the fishers.”

He added that these data have proven that octopus fishery closures benefit the Tanga community and encouraged communities elsewhere to replicate the model.

In addition to collecting data on the catch, the Mkinga BMU also began analysing the catch per unit effort, which they measured by comparing the effort required to catch two giant octopuses with the effort needed to harvest many smaller octopuses of the same total weight. The analysis showed that fishers could earn much more by allowing the octopuses to grow bigger before harvesting, which required closing and reopening the fishery at optimal times.

For the learning visit, we wanted to showcase how different communities collect data and use the same data to manage their fisheries and control fishing efforts,” said Kaijage Laurian, Mwambao ecological data manager.

Armed with this data, community champions shared compelling evidence with their fellow fishers, highlighting the benefits of closing an octopus fishery and the potential for better returns. Inspired by these insights, the community set up their first octopus fishery, and the results were remarkable.

Within four years, the catch grew from a modest four kilograms to an impressive 3.8 tonnes. By adopting best practices, like adhering to the fishery's proper opening and closing periods, the community could sustainably harvest more octopus. This approach boosted their earnings and deepened their commitment to effective fisheries management.

“It’s interesting that our peers from Mkinga harvested many tonnes of octopus. I believe they can harvest more if they close an area of the sea permanently, as we do in Kenya, since this will also protect the habitat,” added Mwashee.

A fisher with a batch of octopus at a landing site in Kibuyuni, Kwale County, Kenya. | Martin Muir | Blue Ventures.

Further south in Mkuranga, Tanzania, data collection for fisheries management is one of many focuses for the BMUs. Fishers also rely on the data to prevent illegal fishing by recording illegal fishers' incidences and arrests through community patrols and handing the lawbreakers over to authorities.

Solving challenges associated with fisheries resource management goes beyond conducting patrols. Community members who participated in this exchange visit saw how other communities tackle the same challenges. So, peer learning has been influential and motivating and opened new ventures for coastal communities to collaborate and adopt the best practices in community-led fisheries management. ” Esther Mhamila, project officer, Sea Sense.

The peer learning visit in Tanga has inspired more commitments by fishers from Kwale, Kenya, Mkinga, and Mkuranga in Tanzania to trial better data collection methods and use data to inform community-led fisheries management for better returns.

Fishers from both countries are also keen to use technology to enhance the efficiency of data collection and analysis.

Sharing experiences and lessons learnt in data analysis and decision-making will foster a culture of continuous improvement in community-led fisheries management and conservation.

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This publication has been produced with financial support from Norway. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Blue Ventures and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Government of Norway.