OHI+ Tanzania_Technical Report_2018

Ocean Health Index – Tanzania 2018 8
Figure 3. Schematic showing how the overall index is calculated, based on present status, and the likely future status, which itself
is based on the recent trend (five years of data), pressures and resilience data.
3.2. Priority goals
During the OHI stakeholder engagement workshop held in Dar es Salaam in February 2018, six sectors
were ranked in order of importance. The top two goals: Food provision (wild-caught fisheries) and
Biodiversity (critical habitats) were addressed by this assessment.
Primary benefits:
1. Food provision: sustainable wild-caught fisheries and mariculture were determined as the number
one ocean priority for the country, to meet the local consumptive demand for protein (nutrition and
food security) and to boost the economy through exploitation of deep-sea fisheries. With observed
human population migrations towards the coast, there has been increased pressure on fisheries
resources. This is coupled with nefarious practices, like dynamite fishing, which remain prevalent
among some communities, and illegal, underreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing conducted
predominantly by foreign vessels. There are therefore large opportunities to improve regulatory
frameworks of the industry, strengthen capacities on sustainable practices, and develop a healthy
mariculture industry that can support food security goals while providing a good source of livelihoods.
2. Biodiversity, coastal protection, and carbon storage: Biodiversity was prioritized due to the need to
preserve all marine and associated species (flora and fauna) including migratory species such as
whales, as well as maintaining the integrity of critical habitats notably coral reefs, seagrasses, and
mangroves as healthy marine ecosystems are essential in Tanzania for controlling erosion, preserving
sites of cultural/economic importance, regulating climate and sustaining biodiversity.