Consultancy Services for Preparation Of Three Management Plans For Reef, Octopus And Small Pelagic Fisheries in Zanzibar

This 9-month project developed three fisheries management plans (FMP) for (i) octopus, (ii) reef fish and (iii) small pelagic fisheries in Zanzibar, Western Indian Ocean supported under a World Bank regional fisheries program, the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Governance Program (SWIOFish). Development of the FMP followed the FAO ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAF) to ensure biological, ecological and socio-economic development of each fisheries sector as part of an adaptive framework that should be reviewed regularly to incorporate findings from latest research and other sources, and updated in a timely manner to inform decision-making.

Working in close collaboration with local partners Mwambao and Blue Ventures, key objectives underpinning each FMP were identified through a series of stakeholder consultations. In total, eight specific objectives were identified to make step-wise improvements in management of the fishery: stock status; environmental impacts; monitoring, control and surveillance; collaboration and regional cooperation; legislation and policy; enhanced trade, marketing, quality and safety; socio-economic, and; capacity building, education and outreach.

Within each objective, a number of strategies (actions) were identified to be addressed within the management regime. To help prioritise specific objectives within the small pelagic fishery, a qualitative risk assessment was used to score the likelihood and consequences of failure (impact) for each proposed strategy. Thus, strategies with a high risk score are considered a priority within this FMP. The risk assessment was used to help prioritise a number of important threats to the fishery. Given the limited capacity and financial resources to implement a management regime, a suite of input controls and technical measures were identified. To ensure effective implementation of each FMP, a monitoring and evaluation plan was developed for each.

The outcomes of each adaptive FMP framework should then be routinely monitored and evaluated against the original objectives set. This includes a plan that reviews the outcomes and deliverables of the FMP tasks and activities on an annual basis, and a higher-level strategic plan that considers the broad management objectives and measures to achieve them.