1. Nestled along Tanzania’s southern coastline are 67 fisher communities that have become
home to the EU-WWF Fisheries Co-management Project - a collaborative management
initiative that was established in 2007 as the Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa (RuMaKi) Seascape
Programme and has since expanded its conservation efforts to include Mtwara Rural
District and Temeke (now Kigamboni) Municipality.
The project works to support the Government of Tanzania and coastal communities
in implementing relevant elements of the Fisheries Policy, 1997 and the Fisheries Act,
2003; both of which make provision for communities to establish Beach Management
Units (BMUs) and prepare fisheries co-management plans for approval by the Director of
Fisheries. The operations involve the establishment of Collaborative Fisheries Management
Areas (CFMAs), managed by clusters of neighbouring BMUs.
In this manner, the project targets to contribute towards alleviating poverty of rural and
semi-rural coastal communities in Tanzania; by improving fisheries-based livelihoods of
200,000 villagers in five target districts.
By 2017, communities in 67 coastal fishing villages in Rufiji, Mafia, Kilwa, Mtwara Rural
Districts and Temeke Municipality are empowered to implement long-term fisheries co-
management systems that generate optimal, sustainable and equitable livelihood benefits,
and which provide a source of lesson-learning for other coastal communities.
FACTSHEET
2016
EU-WWF Fisheries
Co-management Project
Marine
Building effective long term fisheries co-management in
five coastal districts in Tanzania, and promoting coast-
wide learning on the same.
BY 2030
COASTAL COMMUNITIES
IN MAINLAND TANZANIA
EXCERCISE EFFECTIVE
AND EQUITABLE CO-
OWNERSHIP AND CO-
MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
OVER THEIR FISHERIES
RESOURCES.
Specific Objective
Introduction
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The indisputable success of the fisheries
co-management programme is owed largely
to its participatory and adaptive nature as it
works concurrently on two thematic areas:
effective long-term fisheries management
and livelihood development through small-
scale village savings and loans initiatives
and enterprise skills development.
The following are some of the achieved
results:
The project is mentoring and monitoring
63 BMU groups from over 67 coastal
communities to undertake fisheries
management activities such as engage in
patrol and surveillance, collect fisheries
catch data and participate in governance
aspects of fisheries;
Current levels of BMU performance are
good, but need to be strengthened by
mainstreaming BMU activities into district
implementation systems, and by securing
funds for BMU operations;
53 BMUs have established 15 CFMAs,
covering about 3,630 km2, 69% of near-
shore waters in the project area; and 26%
of the total nearshore waters of Tanzania
mainland. Nine (9) more BMUs are
currently in the process of establishing new
CFMAs;
To date, the project is mentoring 273
savings and credit groups, refered to as
Village Community Banks (VICOBA). 146
groups have been established by the project
- 127 of which are community-driven. The
groups have 7,632 members (32% men and
68% women) and a total annual income
(FY 2016) estimated to be about EUR
2,375,000 as a revolving fund to members;
The project has facilitated the reduction
of political tension in Kilwa district by
involving communities in collaborative
fisheries management; as a result of this,
nine (9) more BMUs have been established
in Kilwa and are currently in the process of
forming CFMAs;
The project has facilitated the inclusion
of the CFMA approach into the National
Fisheries Act and the National Fisheries
Co-management Guidelines, both of which
are in final review stages;
The project has assisted in strengthening
central-local government linkages
by engaging the Ministry of Local
Governments in fisheries forums;
The project has been instrumental in the
establishment of the South West Indian
Ocean Fisheries governance (SWIOFish)
project;
Effort by BMUs has thus far halted
further declines in fish catches - a result of
continued illegal fishing, particularly blast
and beach seine fishing.
PROJECT DETAILS
The project is
coordinated from the
WWF Tanzania Country
Office (WWF TCO) in
Dar es Salaam and from
field offices embedded in
district council offices in
Mafia, Kilwa & Mtwara.
Partners
1. Communities in 67
coastal villages;
2. Rufiji (Kibiti),
Mafia, Kilwa, Mtwara
Rural Ditrict and
Temeke (Kigamboni)
Municipality;
3. Ministry of Regional
Administration and
Local Government;
4. Fisheries Department,
Ministry of Agriculture,
Livestock & Fisheries.
Programme outputs and results
©WWF
For more information, contact
Dr. Mathias Igulu
Programme Coordinator
Fisheries Co-Management Programme
WWF Tanzania Country Office
P.O. Box 63117 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel.:+255 22 277 5346/277 2455
Email: migulu@wwftz.org
©GAUDENSIAKALABAMU/WWF
©WWF
©GAUDENSIAKALABAMU/WWF
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