Fishery characteristics in two districts of coastal Tanzania

Nearshore marine fisheries provide the main source of protein for nearly 9 million people in coastal villages of Tanzania, yet for decades the fisheries have shown signs of overexploitation. These fisheries are small-scale and co-managed by local coastal communities and governmental authorities in groups known as Beach Management Units (BMUs). BMUs record individual fishing trip data (e.g. gear, vessel, taxa); however, the catch data have only been analyzed in nationally aggregated statistics. The objective of this study was to determine if BMU catch-assessment surveys can provide information on the fishing characteristics of small-scale fishing communities in Tanzania. We collected all available landings data from 2014 to 2017 from BMUs in fourteen villages in two spatially, socially, and ecologically distinct districts (Pangani and Rufiji) of the country. Our results show that each village had unique patterns for vessel-use, gear-use, and taxa landed, and that every village was specialized in some measure. Specifically, two villages in Pangani district landed octopus or parrotfish almost exclusively, suggesting potential trophic cascades after years of overexploitation. Furthermore, village fisheries had shared characteristics within their district, thus describing how fishing patterns vary at multiple spatial scales along the coast. Although imperfect, the catch data collected by the community organizations have generated the first descriptions of how village-based fisheries in Tanzania function. Using these findings, we suggest implementing local monitoring data and analysis into the fisheries management plans at the village and district scale. Continuing to collect and analyze community collected data is necessary to gain insights into the range of characteristics of small-scale fisheries to improve current management programs.