National Action Plan for Tanzania

Geographic focus

1. Mafia-Rufiji-Kilwa complex
2. Pemba
3. Mtwara-Quirimbas complex (Tanzania - Mozambique cross border site)

Mafia-Rufiji-Kilwa complex

Objectives 1: To promote sustainable use of natural resources through diversification of livelihoods and improved fisheries management.

Actions:

1. Promote aquaculture (seaweeds, prawns, oysters, pearl oysters, sea cucumbers, crab ranching and others).
2. Develop/promote eco-tourism in such a way as to generate benefits for local communities.
3. Establish a sustainable system for provision of appropriate gear and boats to fishermen and middlemen (eg. micro-credit, subsidization, gear exchange, infrastructure) in order to improve fisheries techniques and make them environmentally friendly.
4. Conduct research into viable livelihood alternatives and pilot viable options.
5. Conduct analysis of fish stock abundance to determine MSY (maximum sustainable yield), nearshore and offshore.
6. Establish FADs at relevant sites where deep water line fishing is feasible.
7. Promote and strengthen marketing and added value of fisheries products and other marine resources.
8. Promote alternatives to mangroves for fuel and building.

Objectives 2: To assess, monitor, conserve and restore critical ecosystems (coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds).

Actions:

1. Eliminate live coral mining in selected areas to minimize impacts.
2. Eliminate destructive fishing practices especially dynamite and beach seining.
3. Demarcate relevant seagrass beds as closed areas for prawn trawlers.
4. Encourage the restoration efforts of coral reefs and mangroves.
5. Conduct research and monitoring of critical ecosystems with respect to community structure abundance and diversity.
6. Promote community involvement in natural resources monitoring.
7. Conduct general research on impacts of climate change and on tourist carrying capacities.
8. Update inventories and revise participatory management strategies/plans for all important mangrove sites taking account of major development projects.

Objectives 3: To assess, monitor, conserve and protect threatened, endangered and over-exploited species (dugongs, turtles, dolphins, sea cucumbers…)

Actions:

1. Strengthen management of threatened/over-exploited species such as sea cucumbers; gastropods by formulating and implementing appropriate regulations, community-based management plans and systems.
2. Prepare management plans for small islands with threatened endemic/unique fauna and flora or breeding habitats.
3. Research, develop and implement a national management plan for marine turtles; including assessing and monitoring population distribution/abundance and migration patterns through tagging; protecting nesting sites through local incentive schemes;
4. Develop a plan for dugong and coelocanth protection, including mapping distribution in Tanzania, establishing one sanctuary prohibiting gillnets; facilitating alternatives for gillnet fishers
5. Promote sea cucumber research (species distribution and abundance, recruitment biology, maximum sustainable yield and so forth).

Objectives 4: To improve management of natural resources at community and district levels.

Actions:

1. Establish and maintain national database of indicators of levels of destructive fishing practices by district.
2. Develop community ownership of near-shore fishing resources by conducting assessment of institutional and legal issues, implementing at pilot sites and raising awareness amongst pilot communities.
3. Promote participatory approaches to monitoring and management of nears-shore fisheries resources through pilot programs at relevant sites.
4. Promote involvement of communities and capacity building in management of natural resources by facilitating the development of village natural resource management plans and where appropriate draft and implement by-laws.
5. Conduct community awareness with respect to the importance of sustainable mangrove management.
6. Develop mechanisms to reduce by-catch from prawn trawlers through use of excluder devices.
7. Strengthen enforcement of quotas, size limit seasons for prawn fishery.

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Mtwara-Quirimbas Complex (Tanzania - Mozambique cross border site)

Objectives 1: Reduce pressure on near-shore fisheries.

Actions:

1. Gather information on status of near-shore and offshore fish stocks, to understand resource availability and to monitor stocks.
2. Initiate credit facilities for communities/fishers for buying vessels and gear to use offshore.
3. Identify markets for offshore fish and facilitate linking of sellers to markets.
4. Raise awareness of fishers regarding offshore opportunities.
5. Explore alternative income sources, such as seaweed farming, for near-shore fishers.
6. Conduct monitoring and evaluation.

Objectives 2: To assess, monitor, conserve and restore critical ecosystems (coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds).

Actions:

1. Eliminate live coral mining in selected areas to minimize impacts.
2. Eliminate destructive fishing practices especially dynamite and beach seining.
3. Demarcate relevant seagrass beds as closed areas for prawn trawlers.
4. Encourage the restoration efforts of coral reefs and mangroves.
5. Conduct research and monitoring of critical ecosystems with respect to community structure abundance and diversity.
6. Promote community involvement in natural resources monitoring.
7. Conduct general research on impacts of climate change and on tourist carrying capacities.
8. Update inventories and revise participatory management strategies/plans for all important mangrove sites taking account of major development projects.
9. Reduce impact of anchoring.

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Pemba

Objectives 1: To assess, monitor, conserve and restore critical ecosystems (corals, mangroves, seagrass).

Actions:

1. Conduct baseline studies for coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass ecosystems and species of special concern (biological, mapping, species composition, abundance, threats, ranking…).
2. To carry out restoration activities in degraded areas of coral reefs and mangrove forests.

Objectives 2: Protect turtles and dolphins and their critical habitats

Actions:

1. To gather baseline information on the species composition and population structure of dolphin in Pemba .
2. Identify species composition and population structure of dolphin in Pemba.
3. Identify nesting areas, nursery / breeding and feeding grounds, habitats of turtles and dolphins.
4. Establish community conservation groups for turtles at key breeding sites
5. Create an incentive scheme for turtles and dolphins conservation.
6. Enhance Misali Complex and establish one new protected area for critical habitat

Objectives 3: To improve socio-economic conditions of the coastal communities to alleviate threats from destructive fishing (corals, seagrass, near shore high value species, mangrove cutting, mollusks, sea cucumber, etc.)

Actions:

1. Initiate and enhance oyster and finfish culture and stabilize seaweed farming.
2. Create alternative livelihood for those depending on mangroves.
3. Assist in identifying markets for fish and fish products and seaweeds.
4. Encourage the community to come up with ecotourism activities.
5. Prioritize areas with potential for ecotourism (award scheme).

Objectives 4: To improve management of natural resources at community and district levels.

Actions:

1. Establish and maintain national database of indicators of levels of destructive fishing practices by district.
2. Develop community ownership of near-shore fishing resources by conducting assessment of institutional and legal issues, implementing at pilot sites and raising awareness amongst pilot communities.
3. Promote participatory approaches to monitoring and management of nears-shore fisheries resources through pilot programs at relevant sites.
4. Promote involvement of communities and capacity building in management of natural resources by facilitating the development of village natural resource management plans and where appropriate draft and implement by-laws.
5. Conduct community awareness with respect to the importance of sustainable mangrove management.
6. Develop mechanisms to reduce by-catch from prawn trawlers through use of excluder devices.
7. Strengthen enforcement of quotas, size limit seasons for prawn fishery

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Enabling Environment Objectives for Tanzania

Objectives 1: To provide policy and legislative guidance, as well as enforcement, for effective implementation of EAME programs

Actions:

1. Review, update and harmonize the existing policies and regulations and, where necessary, to create new ones to deal with all aspects of the sustainable utilization of natural resources, including those related to fin, shark, what and shellfish fisheries as well as sea cucumber collection, coral reefs, mangrove resources, wetlands and tourist activities.
2. Facilitate local authorities in establishing appropriate by-laws.
3. Solicit regional and international support to help enforce international agreements.
4. Formulate strategies for effective compliance and enforcement of all policies and regulations, including the provision of skills and equipment for patrolling and surveillance.
5. Establish effective policy and legal framework regarding transborder issues such as destructive fishing practices, mangrove cutting, and pollution.
6. Draft guidelines for port and harbor development as well as other major types of development.
7. Develop mechanisms to reduce by-catch, such as turtle exclusion devices for prawn trawl fisheries, and enforce their use.
8. Implement socio-economic development policies that help harmonize the local basic needs with conservation.
9. Gazette at least six proposed new MPA sites; the likely areas in Tanzania to be considered for MPAs are Kilwa / Songo Songo and Tanga Coral Gardens.
10. Institute national award scheme as incentives to local initiatives.
11. Establish credit or grant facilities to fishing groups to acquire offshore fishing gears.
12. Include important sea grass beds in new MPAs in Tanga, Songo Songo and Rufiji RAMSAR sites.
13. Review, harmonize, and strengthen relevant regional and international conventions and national policies and legislation within the region.

Objectives 2: To establish a mechanism for institutional coordination and linkages

Actions:

1. Set up Inter-Ministerial Committee responsible for effective coordination of government activities along the coast.
2. Establish national working groups to deal with critical habitats, e.g., mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds, as well as species of special conservation interest, e.g. dugongs, sea turtles, whales, etc.
3. Facilitate and coordinate research institutions in conducting collaborative research (national and regional) and monitoring of critical habitats, e.g., mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands and seagrass beds, as well as specific groups of organisms, e.g., finfish dugongs, sea turtles, whales, sharks, rays, gastropods, etc., such that accurate and up-to-date information is provided to managers and decision makers.
4. Conduct research on methods of restoration and strategies/approaches to management.
5. Enhance coordination and communication links between research institutions and government institutions.
6. Establish national database of information on all aspects of the marine environment and natural resource utilization (including marketing) and ensure information sharing amongst national regional district and local institutions.
7. Strengthen collaborative enforcement involving central, district and local government institutions as well as regional and international institutions.
8. Promote advocacy and networking in relation to international trade in marine organisms (medium term).

Objectives 3: To establish networking mechanism for effective stakeholder participation in the implementation of the EAME program.

Actions:

1. Establish EAME sea turtle, dugong, dolphin and whale networks to prioritize conservation issues and responses.
2. Establish current levels and patterns of trade of selected species and influence global demand markets, for lobsters, gastropods, sea cucumbers and other commercial species.
3. Link and integrate with relevant global and regional initiatives in conserving coral reefs and mangroves.
4. Investigate the tourist carrying capacity for various areas in order to develop appropriate tourism development plans.
5. Produce a scientific document describing representative MPAs in EAME, with respect to location, area covered, strategies and actions.
6. Build the capacity of partners to sustainably manage and conserve marine resources through continued support with scholarships, exchange visits and research grants.
7. Organize visits, exchanges and forums between local communities within and beyond sites in order to spread knowledge.
8. Establish and standardize a monitoring program in EAME covering all critical habitats (e.g., coral reefs, mangrove forests and seagrass beds) and important groups of marine organisms.
9. Undertake assessment of threats to unique and endemic fauna and flora and/ or critical breeding habitats in small islands within priority sites.
10. Explore and integrate traditional resource management practices.
11. Identify and establish alternative sources of income generation to take the pressure off the marine and coastal resources.
12. Promote ecological and community-based tourism with world tourism organization and other relevant tourism bodies.
13. Conduct on-going public environmental awareness/education campaigns on sustainable use of natural resources.
14. Develop participatory approach to all resource management, i.e., consultation with communities / stakeholders.
15. Ensure capacity building for management and research.
16. Improve information sharing and communication links amongst all stakeholders, e.g. research institutions, government bodies and local communities.

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