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

for MBREMP marine resources is guided by basic food needs (e.g. local and national markets), and
by more complex needs in international markets based on aesthetics (e.g. use of ornamental shells),
taste (e.g. octopus consumption in Europe), and culture and religion (e.g. consumption of sea
cucumbers, shark fin, swim bladders in Asia, use of shell opercula in the Arab, Hebraic, and Indian
worlds).
Stakeholders who affect marine resource uses are thus located in a variety of places, including the
Marine Park itself, Mtwara, Dar es Salaam, Asia, Europe and so on. In order for the Park to control
and steer resource uses in the Park, it will be of critical importance for the Marine Park to work in
partnership with the whole spectrum of most directly involved stakeholders (e.g. from the fishers,
traders, agents exporters whether they are based locally, in Mtwara or in Dar es Salaam) and raise
their awareness on the impacts of their activities on the local Marine Park environment. It is also
important for these stakeholders to understand that their activities will be impacted by the Marine
Park’s management decisions. By working in partnership both the Marine Park and these
stakeholders will have significant control on how and how much of the marine resources are
extracted. In addition, such partnerships can potentially contribute to influencing international
consumer tastes away from marine products that are biologically threatened in the region (sharks,
rays, certain shell species, certain sea cucumber species…).
Similarly, the Mozambique issue needs to be taken into account. This study shows that many Marine
Park stakeholders are also stakeholders of Mozambican marine resources. It thus may be important
to involve Mozambican fishers, local government, and other similar marine resource related groups in
the Marine Park planning process so as to combine efforts on both sides of the borders to achieve
sustainable use of the resources that are not bounded by the political boundary.
6.1.3.2 Seasonality and the impact of non-marine based activities
The level of supply of marine products is affected, for example, by the status of marine resources, by
seasons, by local conditions in response to demand, which in turn affect prices, and which in turn will
affects stakeholders’ behaviour. Prices also vary according to the quality and type of products.
MBREMP marine resource exploitation is also affected by non-marine based activities that affect the
demand for marine products. Indeed, one of the main influences mentioned by traders was the
increase in local purchasing power during the cashew and rice harvest seasons, which result in an
increase in demand for fish, and a consequent increase in fish prices. This event also triggers a
seasonal fish trading activity, particularly for women. Furthermore, this is also when peak numbers of
outside traders operate in the Park and when local traders go inland to sell their products. Some
fishers mentioned that they reduce their fishing activities during peak farming seasons, and others
have mentioned increasing their fishing activity in order to respond to the increased demand.
Understanding this is of high importance for Park management because it may challenge the
assumption that if income from a household’s non-marine based activities increases, there may be a
decrease in marine resources use, and eventually the pressure on marine resources may reduce.
This study suggests that the contrary may be the case due to increases in purchasing power and the
high demand for marine products.
6.2 Recommendations for monitoring
On the basis of the socio-economic assessment findings and on the basis of the regional experience
in socio-economic monitoring by CORDIO SEMP accumulated in the recent years, the following
monitoring process is suggested. The General Management Plan review process and the donor
funding support to the Park until at least 2006 are also taken into consideration in the monitoring
schedule proposed.
Parameters to monitor will fall into six categories: occupational structure of the Park communities,
resource-use patterns, well being, attitudes, trade and prices.
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