Seacology helps Zanzibar villagers protect critical coral reefs
Tumbatu Island, off the east coast of Africa, is full of fascinating archeological artifacts from the first people who settled there millennia ago. And just offshore, colorful coral reefs are full of fascinating creatures, including sea turtles, octopuses, and countless kinds of fish.
Working with several island communities, Seacology is helping protect this critically important marine ecosystem and the many livelihoods that depend on it.
The archipelago of Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania, comprising several islands. Tumbatu, the third largest, is home to several indigenous communities. The island and the neighboring islets of Popo and Mwana wa Mwana are surrounded by coral reefs, which are critical to the fisheries that feed and provide income to a growing population of some 30,000 people.
Unfortunately, this population growth and an increase in tourism have put severe pressure on this marine environment. The island’s reefs, mangroves, and other ecosystems are under threat from overfishing and destructive practices including dynamite fishing. Poaching of endangered sea turtles and their eggs has gone largely unchecked. The unregulated collection of octopus, seaweed, and sea cucumbers has damaged coral throughout the area. Laws prohibit some damaging practices, but the responsibility to enforce them has fallen on local communities that historically lack resources and coordination.
Recognizing these threats, representatives of 18 villages on and around Tumbatu began working with a fishermen’s association and government officials to pursue a more sustainable future. Early last year they approached Seacology for help establishing a new marine reserve around Mwana wa Mwana, a biodiversity hotspot adjacent to Tumbatu’s largest village, Jongowe. Their plan bans harvesting octopus inside the protected area and sets aside a square kilometer for a large seaweed farm, as well as a smaller area to raise sea cucumbers. By concentrating these practices in one place, the damage to the rest of the reserve can be minimized.
The new Seacology-funded office building is handed over to our local partners.
A watchtower overlooks the new reserve, helping combat poaching.
Members of the community examine seaweed harvested from the reserve's mariculture area.
Seaweed is used in the production of many products, bringing income to the island.
The communities lacked a central place to oversee their conservation efforts, so they applied for Seacology funding to construct a new office, which they finished at the end of last year. This facility, overlooking the beach in Jongowe, is already hosting meetings that cover managing patrols of the new reserve, training people to work in the seaweed and sea cucumber farms, and conducting outreach about the conservation rules and why they’re important.
“The project has made significant strides in promoting marine conservation and community involvement on Tumbatu Island,” reports Dishon Murage, Seacology’s field representative for East Africa. “The establishment of the Tumbatu Island Information Centre, training in agriculture, and the creation of an octopus closure are important milestones in fostering sustainable management of marine resources.”