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

The Marine Park marine products are traded both inside and outside the Marine Park and some are
exported, most products are bought in Marine Park villages but some are also bought in Mozambique
(especially dried fish – ‘ngonda’, or fish to dry). At the same time, a number of outside traders come to
buy products in Marine Park villages. Table 22 summarises the characteristics of the main traders in
Marine Park fishing villages. Maps 4 and 5 illustrate sea cucumbers and other products movements in
the Marine Park area.
Trading is an important economic activity for all villages. Based on the focus groups’ discussions it
was calculated that there could be up to 110 fresh fish and dried fish traders in the Park (a majority of
fresh fish traders) nearly half of whom would be located in Msimbati. To this, 35 sea cucumber traders
should be added and 25 octopus traders. Marine products are generally bought by local or outside
traders directly from fishers, at landing sites. Traders also buy sea cucumber, dried fish, octopus,
prawns or lobsters in Mozambique.
Sea cucumbers are sold to agents located in the Marine Park (Chinese exporters base themselves in
the Marine Park for a few months to buy sea cucumber directly) or in Mtwara. Agents in Mtwara
originate from other parts of Tanzania (e.g. Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar). Sea cucumbers are not
consumed locally and are generally exported to Asia where they are a high value product. There are 3
sea cucumber agents in Mtwara. These agents buy sea cucumbers to Marine Park traders as well as
other local traders for dealers/exporters in Dar es Salaam (mainly Chinese). According to agents,
most of the sea cucumbers exported from Mtwara are caught in Mozambique (this was also found by
TRAFFIC, 2001).
Fresh sea cucumbers (by E. Mottier)
Dried sea cucumbers (by D. Malleret)
Octopus, squid, lobsters: The few lobsters that are caught (whether in the Marine Park or in
Mozambique) are sold to traders in Msangamkuu (part of which is included in the Marine Park) who
sell them to the exporter based in Mtwara. Lobsters can be sold live or dead. They reach a better
price if sold live. Squid are sold on the local market (village level), or in Mtwara. A small proportion is
sold to the exporter in Mtwara. Octopus is one of the larger export products. Marine Park octopus are
sold to Marine Park traders where and are collected every few days in Msimbati by trucks and
Namponda by the exporter by boats. Traders are provided with ice boxes to store the octopus. The
octopus may have been fished in the Marine Park or in Mozambique waters. Lobsters, squid and
octopus are then sent to Dar es Salaam where they are processed and exported (frozen) outside
Tanzania. One exporter operates in Mtwara and another exporter has started to buy octopus in
Northern Mozambique and has provided boats, engines, and iceboxes to agents.
Prawns, Crabs: Prawns and crab are bought from Marine Park fishers, and sold on the local market,
in Mtwara or around Mtwara. They are also bought by outside traders (e.g. from inland or other
coastal towns such as Masasi, Kilwa, Newala, Tandahimba as well as from Mtwara).
Fresh fish and fresh ‘dagaa’ are sold in local markets as well as in Mtwara town market. It is also
sold to outside traders who transport it to places such as Newala or Masasi. The surplus of fresh fish
is dried, smoked, salted or fried. A large proportion of the ‘dagaa’ is dried rapidly or fried. Traders
usually transport their fish by bicycles in sacks or baskets.
48