TWENTY-six members of a fishing community along the coast (Kilwa, Rufiji, Mafia, Temeke and Mtwara Rural district) sailed to Pemba Island recently to undergo training in sustainable octopus fishing through community driven efforts. The coastal area under review operates under the WWF Tanzania Fisheries Co-Management Programme.
Under the training, fishermen were trained on the techniques and methodology used by the Fisher Communities in Pemba Island to initiate the management decision and gaining support to the large number of the community members.
The initiative may lead to introduction of the pilot fishery management (protection of the octopus species). The five districts in the Fisheries Co-management project are among the rich fishing grounds in Coastal district of Tanzania facing unsustainable fishing methodologies that need special management measure.
Therefore, the introduction of the octopus management initiatives may lead to high production of the seafood, increase the catches and support the wellbeing of the fishing communities.
WWF is assuming that communities may replicate the initiatives that may lead to the achievement of the fisheries management objectives.
Octopus fishery has been gaining commercial recognition alongside the coastal areas where tourism is expanding, the increasing demands contributing to excessive harvesting goes beyond legal methods.
WWF Fisheries Co-management conducted a study visit to change the attitudes of the fishing along Kilwa, Rufiji, Mafia, Temeke and Mtwara rural district, explained Mr Khamis Mussa Juma, Senior Fisheries Co-management Officer WWF-Fisheries Co-management Project. Under the training, they are also cautioned against frequent fishing for fear of depleting octopus stock in the area.
He said it was their expectation that the training will afford them the opportunity to learn from others on the initiative, hence enhance their knowledge in the protection of marine species. It’s only through such initiatives that the people would be able to observe and appreciate the species for many years to come.
The Secretary of the fishing committee at Kukuu Shehia, in Mkoani District, southern Pemba, Mr Salim Mohammed said that when they were oriented to the idea of protecting marine resources, and in particular, octopus, the fishing community were happy because they now have the opportunity of seeing operation of these systems in other fishing grounds (Dagoni).
He said normal procedures were followed by having meetings with the villagers after they agreed with the plan, then asked permission from the government at the department of Fisheries so that they would be allowed to preserve marine resources around the village, and then they officially informed the chief of police (OCD) and Sheha office to get mandate to protect their site.
Mr Mohammed stated that the formal closure of octopus fishing at Kukuu began on March 20, 2016, and took three months. They opened harvesting on June 20 to 21, this year, where on June 20, 2016 they harvested 137 kilogrammes, while on June 21, they harvested 56 kilogrammes of octopus. The village collected 835,000/- as income from the sold harvested fish within the protected area at Kukuu.
The money was divided into three groups; part was allocated for management and protection, another portion allocated to serve the community development initiatives and the third share sent to the village fishing communities to support their administration and other management intervention, the committee secretary said.
After realising the supply of octopus had been constrained by overfishing and poor fishing facilities in many key fisheries sites, the Fisheries Department in collaboration with Mwambao organization set a target and started helping the villages by establishing preserving sites around Kukuu village and Panza Island, Fisheries Officer, Mr Ali Kassim of the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA), stated.
In all these areas at the fishing sites, communities have been advised to use a local wooden pick or Mchomo in Swahili (also known as Michokoo, Mideki or Tapo) in octopus fishing. Before this training, there are some fishermen who used nails and other blunt metal objects that destroy the eggs of the species and their habitats.
Mr Ramadhan Bakari Kionga from Somanga, Kilwa district, thanked WWF for arranging the trip, and said he will take back the knowledge because it is a sustainable way of management of the fishery resources after having suitable areas for the practices.
Though we have very good fishing grounds for octopus, it is not easy to find the octopus in low waters in Somanga as is the case with Kukuu in Pemba. However, I think it is possible if we adopt these practices.
Fishermen are forced to go deep into the ocean and dive to get the species, which consumes time but now I see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I think we need to adopt the initiative to get more harvesting with more benefits to our fishermen, he said. Octopuses are found worldwide in the shallow waters of tropical, subtropical, and temperate areas, the common octopus is a fascinating creature. At 60-90 cm (24-36 in.) long, it has eight long limbs protruding from a globe-shaped head (or mantle).
Two rows of suckers line their tentacles and can sense taste. Octopuses are solitary animals that make their homes in rocks and coral or dig burrows. They scatter rocks and shells around their dens to hide them. They leave the dens only to eat or reproduce.
In early spring, octopuses move closer to the shore to mate. Two months after mating, the female releases 100,000-500,000 eggs. She spends her time cleaning the eggs, providing oxygen by squirting water, and fending off predators.
Soon after the eggs hatch, both the male and female octopuses die. They only live 12-18 months. Meanwhile, the hatchlings are carried by the currents, and they feed on plankton for 45-60 days.
Only one or two of the hatchlings will survive to adulthood. Currently, common octopuses are not considered endangered or threatened. However, octopus is a common food in Asian and Mediterranean cuisines.
People catch octopuses by trawling (fishing with a large net) and by luring them into octopus pots,’ which are plastic traps that octopuses confuse as suitable dens. If trawling coincides with their breeding season or if overfishing occurs, octopus populations could be in danger.
The Daily News