Healthy marine scene good for the country

There has been good news from Mafia about the re-appearance of marine life, especially the type long thought to be extinct. This is a result of deliberate efforts by the Mafia Island Marine Parks (MIMP), to institute workable conservation measures, including taming dynamite fishing. The island’s marine park area, extending across 822km, more than 75 per cent of it below the high water mark and one of the remaining reef complexes within Tanzania’s coastal waters in relative intact condition, is a critical diversity site.

It is worth noting here that the re-appearance of the ‘extinct’ marine life in the island’s waters is credited to successful action against illegal fishing, particularly dynamite fishing and greatly lessening destruction of the environment.

There have been recent sightings by fishermen of the dugong and sharks and other species thought to have long disappeared. The area included within the boundaries of MIMP is one of the most important marine habitats in the world. It has mangroves, sea-grass beds, coral reefs, inter-tidal reef flats, lagoons and coastal forest.

It is also worth noting here that Mafia boasts one the world’s best sites for deep sea diving and snorkeling. However, while its importance has increasingly been recognised, so too have its problems – particularly over-fishing, including many outside fishers coming into Mafia waters and using destructive and unsustainable fishing methods, including dynamite fishing.

Of utmost importance is the involvement of the people in the marine conservation programmes. Working with indigenous communities is essential to saving threatened and endangered species. The public should be sensitised on the importance of conservation and hazards associated with non-compliance.

It is gratifying to note from reports that such conservation efforts have been extended to the entire national shoreline, including the coastal districts of Mafia, Mtwara, Temeke, Pangani, Bagamoyo, Rufiji, Kilwa and Mkuranga.

(From dailynews.habarileo.co.tz – Mafia Island, Tanzania)