a socio-economic baseline assessment of the mnazi bay - IUCN

large and medium size mesh nets are the most widely used gear (respectively by 27% and 19% of the
fishers) along with ‘tandilo’. This is illustrated by Figure 9.
As shown in Figure 10, handlines (28% of fishers), ‘tandilo’ (23%), larger mesh size nets which over 3”
and particularly Mlimba nets 4” (18%) and medium (2” to 2.5”) size mesh nets (10.5%) involve the
largest proportion of fishers in the surveyed sea front villages. In Mangrove villages, handlines dominate
(more than 50% of fishers), then ‘tandilo’ (25%). Small and medium nets come third (including ‘juya’ and
beach seines) with from seven to 15% fishers in Litembe and Tangazo.
In Mahurunga, 50% of the fishers from the five marine fishing households use nets (medium and small
meshed).
Few tidal weirs fishers were detected in the survey and those were located in Msimbati. Richmond
(pers. comm.) observed 15 tidal weirs between Msimbati and Mngoji area. Tidal weirs are not widely
used in the mangrove villages and no tidal weir fishers were sampled.
15% of the fishers surveyed in Mngoji used traps and less than 3% in Msimbati. None of the surveyed
fishers used traps in mangrove villages, however these are used by a few fishers in mangrove villages
(see picture) as was mentioned in the focus groups. A similar situation was found for tidal weirs these
are used in the mangrove areas, however by a few fishers. Trap fishing was mentioned in Mitambo and
Kilambo focus group discussions.
Hand/sticks are mostly used to collect sea cucumbers and catch octopus. This is carried out mainly in
the seafront villages but by less than 5% of the fishers (with a higher percentage of fishers involved in
Msimbati). Finally compared to other locations of the East African coast (Malleret King et al., 2003), the
use of spear gun is not common in the Marine Park. Spear guns are used in Msimbati and Mngoji by
less that 5% of the fishers.
The distribution of gear is illustrated in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows the distribution aggregated at area
levels (mangrove and seafront surveyed villages).
Figure 9: Gear use in % of fishers from surveyed households grouped per village
%
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Mngoji Msimbati Lit embe Tangazo Mahurunga
(Source: Household survey)
Sti ck/Han d
Speargun
Handline
Tra p
T. we ir
Net >3"
Net 2-2.5"
Net 1-1.5"
Juya
BS
Tandilo
Longline
Note: the distribution of gear does not add to 100% as fishers often use more than one gear.
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