© Background: Kwanini Foundation
Pemba's marine environment hosts more than 40 threatened species, such as the endangered Napoleon wrasse, green and hawksbill sea turtles, the reef manta ray, dugong, and the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin. Protecting these species from the impact of illegal and destructive fishing and ending up as bycatch is an urgent priority if their extinction in the wild is to be avoided.
The Pemba Channel, which separates the island of Pemba from mainland Tanzania, boasts the highest cetacean abundance and diversity in the region and plays an important role in supporting populations of the endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphin.
These include the only oceanic reefs in the Eastern African Marine Ecoregion (EAME) and make Pemba an ecoregional gem. The Pemba Channel includes areas with over 90% live coral cover, hosting 40 coral genera, including coral species such as Octopus coral and the Pearl Bubble coral, both of which are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN.
Pemba hosts all 10 species of mangroves found in Tanzania, as well as 12 seagrass species. The seagrass beds of Pemba Island provide shelter, food, and nursery grounds for many important species of fish, shellfish, and sea turtles.
Thanks to cool water upwellings from the deep Pemba Channel, Pemba Island's coral reefs serve as a potential climate change refuge. This unique characteristic makes Pemba's reefs more resilient to rising seawater temperatures. Pemba's reefs are also part of the "50 Reefs Initiative" developed by The Ocean Agency, which identifies the top 50 coral reefs that may survive climate change and could assist in repopulating neighboring reefs.
The Blue Corridor, occupying roughly half of the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA), functions like a superhighway for whales. The channel features steep bathymetry and a northward-flowing current, creating favorable conditions for supporting fisheries and cetaceans.
With its rich cultural and ecological heritage, Pemba Island is unique. However, the island faces numerous challenges, including poverty, inadequate access to quality education and healthcare, environmental degradation, and threats to marine biodiversity. Over half of Pemba's residents live below the poverty level, and this is being exacerbated by rapid population growth. Moreover, the lack of a consistent water source and seasonal food shortages put immense pressure on marine resources. The North Pemba Management Zone contributes to the livelihoods of 36 local villages which directly or indirectly rely on marine resources for sustenance and income.
Pemba Island, also known as the Green Island due to its lush tropical forests, lies north of Unguja (Zanzibar) and covers approximately 900 km², with 450 km of coastline. It is situated within several ecologically significant areas. These include the Greater Pemba Channel Important Marine Mammal Area (IMMA), the Pemba-Shimoni-Kisite Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (EBSA), and the Pemba Channel Marine Conservation Area (PECCA). In addition, the entire island is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA), contributing to the island's importance as a biodiversity hotspot.
The capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services for millions of people worldwide has declined by half since the 1950s. Illegal fishing practices, including the use of explosives and destructive gear, endanger the marine ecosystem. The collection of adult sea turtles and eggs persists. Additionally, bycatch of mammals, sharks, rays, and turtles further imperils the area. The PECCA was established in 2005 to ensure environmental sustainability, promote economic growth and mitigate poverty on Pemba Island. The PECCA has been accepted by communities and has helped raise awareness of key issues. However, a great deal of work remains to be done in terms of sustainably managing small-scale fisheries and achieving conservation objectives through sustainable financing and effective management. The PECCA has faced challenges in maintaining conservation standards and securing adequate funding for basic activities. Without effective management, the region's coral reefs and marine biodiversity remain at risk. By working collaboratively with the government and local fishery communities, we can implement effective management of the conservation area, enhance fisheries management, and develop a sustainable Blue Economy for coastal communities in and around the North PECCA.
© Background image: KWANINI FOUNDATION
Ha MPA with enhanced biodiversity protection and control of destructive and unsustainable fishing activities
Ha coral reef ecosystem aided in recovery
Ha of mangroves conserved and partially restored
Threatened species beginning to increase in number
Coastal community members with enhanced livelihoods
Jobs created for MPA management staff and rangers
Hours of patrols conducted
Reef-positive businesses in development
Our focus is on increasing the health and resilience of marine ecosystems and improving the livelihoods of local communities living in and around the conservation area. This aligns with the vision of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, and we are working together to reduce destructive and unsustainable fishing activities, develop a Blue Economy in sustainable ecotourism, blue carbon and community-based aquaculture, and employ targeted conservation activities. Surrounded by and incorporating local fishing communities, our activities contribute to regenerating marine biodiversity as well as providing sustainable sources of protein and income for local communities. Improving the health of marine ecosystems also allows for the creation of ecotourism businesses, increased protection from coastal flooding, and decreased beach erosion.
We measure our impacts using five socio-ecological Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
Regeneration of coral reef ecosystems
Regeneration of mangrove ecosystems
Recovery of species from overfishing and illegal destructive fishing
Improved catch by coastal fishers
Job creation in the MPAs and reef-positive enterprises
In August 2023, the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries (MBEF) of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar signed an agreement with our local entity, the non-profit Blue Alliance PECCA, for the delegated management of the North Pemba Channel Conservation Area. The renewable agreement runs for a duration of five years and defines a clear distribution of roles and obligations in the day-to-day management of the conservation area. The MBEF aims at promoting economic growth, social inclusion, and the improvement of the livelihoods of Zanzibaris while ensuring the preservation of environmental sustainability in the ocean and coastal areas. The MBEF is responsible for interventions in two key priority areas, namely empowering local people to benefit from embracing the Blue Economy; and accelerating the structural transformation of Zanzibar's economy through bankable and sustainable investments in the Blue Economy.
The Blue Corridor will usher in a new form of public-private partnership in marine conservation in Zanzibar, based on a win-win co-management strategy centred around the welfare of the local communities as well as the preservation of the pristine marine biodiversity and ecological hotspots within the PECCA domain.
– Dr Aboud Jumbe, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries, Zanzibar
The action [of signing the agreement] has been taken with the aim of reducing the damage to this important area for fishing and tourism as well as increasing income for the Government and the communities surrounding the area.
– Hon. Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga, Minister of State Office of the President Labor Economy and Investment
By working alongside the local communities and their Shehia* Fisher Committees (SFCs), we aim to contribute to a sustainable and resilient future for Pemba Island and its people. Blue Alliance PECCA undertakes marine conservation activities, implements sustainable fishing practices, and actively promotes reef-positive businesses in and around the MPAs. Our on-the-ground management team proactively monitors and protects natural resources through enhanced compliance activities, long-term community engagement programs, science-based approaches, and regenerative projects for environmental protection.
* A Shehia is the lowest official administrative unit in Zanzibar.
We are fighting against unsustainable fishing, which includes the use of explosives, compressors, and unselective fishing gear. Blast fishing is especially problematic as it destroys the reef on which the fishery is based. Our primary management intervention tools are (i) enhanced surveillance programmes, continuously conducted jointly with the authorities and local fishing committees; (ii) long-term community engagement programs to increase awareness; and (iii) offering alternative livelihoods for coastal fishermen in our reef-positive businesses, which reduces their fishing effort.
We enhance control of fishing activities in the PECCA to make it sustainable now and into the future. Fishing activities are controlled in both the replenishment zone (no-take zone) and in the sustainable fishery zones. This is achieved through joint patrols conducted with the authorities and local fishing committees. In addition, we are combating the decline of specific species through the development of aquaculture hatcheries.
We are dedicated to safeguarding all marine fauna, but hawksbill sea turtles (Critically Endangered) and green turtles (Vulnerable) are among our priorities in Pemba. By preserving critical habitats such as nesting sites, reducing poaching, and raising awareness, we can help to ensure their survival.
We help reduce bycatch of threatened species by controlling destructive and illegal fishing practices, recommending and promoting sustainable fishing gear and methods, and educating local fishing communities about the release of bycatch. We are confident our efforts will contribute to helping more than 40 threatened species to recover, such as critically endangered Napoleon fish, reef manta rays, dugongs, and humpback dolphins.
CoTS are predators that can reach infestation levels and denude coral cover very quickly. The last major CoTS event was in 2008, but we monitor monthly so that we can have early warning and the opportunity to pro-actively deal with potential outbreaks.
Coral reef care is critical, and our reefs are the axis around which all our work evolves. We fight the use of destructive fishing techniques, and drive coral reef protection awareness through marine conservation education for learners, scholars, community members, and visitors.
Mangrove forests serve as natural carbon sinks that contribute to climate change mitigation. Our Blue Economy initiatives are focused on preserving and restoring mangrove forests and encouraging their protection via businesses and incentives that depend on thriving mangrove forests. We also introduce, drive, and support programmes and educational campaigns.
We create direct jobs with fishers becoming staff of the MPAs and staff of the different reef-positive businesses such as ecotourism, extensive aquaculture, and mangrove restoration. We improve livelihoods for coastal fisher households through supporting small and medium enterprises in the Blue Economy and providing training programmes, with a specific focus on empowering women and girls.
Poverty leads directly to unsustainable fishing, pollution, the clearing of mangroves, and many forms of environmental degradation. Besides creating jobs in our MPAs and reef-positive businesses, we are tackling this issue by empowering communities through training, mentoring, and providing micro-grants to get businesses “off the ground”. Training ranges from English and computer classes to swimming lessons, dive certifications, aquaculture, and farming improvements.
Through our ecotourism division, we train local dive industry stakeholders to implement the internationally recognised “Green fins” code of conduct for responsible diving and snorkelling. In addition, we introduce experiences for mindful travellers and education programmes.
By enhancing the health of natural coastal and marine ecosystems, our work protects coastal communities from the impacts of extreme weather events and contributes to climate change mitigation. Reducing local impacts will confer additional resilience to climate change for coral reef ecosystems.
We are deeply concerned about land-based pollution. We are engaging with communities and innovative companies and working with our own programs to support mitigation mechanisms and implement responsible solutions.
The Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA) is an important demarcated marine area in Zanzibar that provides basic life requirements and livelihoods for the people of Pemba. The Blue Alliance PECCA team and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar are committed to ensuring that sustainable fishing, livelihoods, and marine conservation are maintained in line with the Blue Economy Policy and national strategies of Zanzibar.
– Mohamed Abdulla Mohamed, Institutional Advisor Blue Alliance PECCA
Our MPA lies in the northern section of the PECCA. The programme strives to improve coral reef health by enhancing MPA management capacity and reducing the primary human activities that cause degradation of coral reef ecosystems and negatively affect coral reef health and community livelihoods. This starts with the improvement of MPA management capabilities growing financial sustainability through adequate upfront financial support.
© Background image: Kwanini Foundation
We work in four fundamental and interrelated fields of operation, and we measure and report on the results we achieve. These are science & conservation, community development, compliance, and sustainable revenue generation.
Enabling community development and empowerment
© Photo: Kwanini Foundation
We monitor fish and shark populations, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests to:
This is done through Biophysical Assessments of the success of MPAs in protecting marine biodiversity. We also conduct underwater surveys of commercial fish species in monitoring stations inside and outside MPAs. In these bi-annual surveys, we identify the commercial fish species (including their count and sizes) using the variable distance method. This allows us to measure the success of MPAs in enhancing fish biomass in adjacent fishing grounds and understand how they benefit local fishing communities.
In parallel, we conduct fish catch monitoring programmes through fish landing surveys and regular interviews with fishers to monitor the health of the fishery as well as the level of fishing effort and the use of any new gear. Fish landings are also an important source to assess bycatch of threatened species. To measure the success of our MPAs in enhancing fish productivity in municipal waters, we conduct a comprehensive catch per unit effort (CPUE) monitoring programme. The fish catch and size data of reef fishes can help gauge the effectiveness of MPAs in supporting adjacent fishing areas through adult movement and, in turn, the positive results of management interventions put in place.
Blue Alliance, in coordination with local communities, has developed a science- and community-based monitoring and mitigation programme to identify the early stages of an outbreak in the North PECCA.
We are dedicated to safeguarding all marine fauna, but hawksbill and green sea turtles are particular priorities. We are also in the process of developing at least one hatchery to help protect turtle eggs from beach predation.
We help reduce bycatch of threatened species by controlling destructive and illegal fishing practices, recommending and promoting sustainable fishing gear and methods, and educating local fishing communities about the release of bycatch.
Through funder support, we are exploring new methods for monitoring that might either reduce the need for skilled monitors (a bottleneck challenge in our remote wild places) and/or provide further insights.
Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) attract fish and record them for marine research. BRUVS help us to see shy species like sharks that may not be detected during SCUBA surveys. We need to know what species are in our MPAs and where to find them, so that we can develop effective management strategies for their protection.
Developed by the University of the Philippines for AI-powered assessment of fish species diversity. We need fish identification and biomass determination if we are to determine whether our management measures are effective. FISH-I technology is a quicker, safer, and more accurate method and is especially needed in areas where we are lacking capacities for fish identification.
Use of environmental eDNA (the genetic material present in water samples) for identifying the presence of marine species in our waters. Species diversity is an important indicator of ecosystem health and just like the BRUVs, this method allows us to know what species live in our waters – even if we never see them.
Our work will be complemented by reports from our Citizen Science program once this is launched in 2024 (in collaboration with local tourism partners).
Key scientific programmes and assessments include:
Every species in our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is essential for sustaining the ecological balance and overall health of their environments. Sadly, these marine creatures are under threat from overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate change. Our dedicated marine wildlife page shows the important roles of over 50 selected marine species found in our MPAs, the challenges they encounter, and the conservation measures required to safeguard them.
We work closely with the Shehias* to identify and develop revenue models in the Blue Economy that increase the resilience of both marine ecosystems and coastal community livelihoods over the long term. The community development programmes are usually linked to our reef-positive businesses:
We also implement community livelihood programmes outside of our reef-positive businesses.
Our key community development programmes include:
Our role as an official co-management entity is to enhance compliance with fishery and environmental laws and regulations. We do this through surveillance and long-term community engagement programmes. One of our major management interventions is to enforce fisheries legislation aimed at fighting destructive fishing methods. We do this through joint patrols consisting of local police and military representatives, enforcers from Shehia* fishing committees, and our own rangers. In Zanzibar, a large part of the coastal fishery enforcement is carried out by members of the Shehia* fishery committees (SFCs).
Our patrolling efforts prevent illegal fishing in PECCA waters, ensuring that they are effectively protected from human activities for the benefit of marine biodiversity and local communities. In collaboration with national government, we have enabled our teams and SFC members to enforce protocols for MPA and fishery law violations, as well as training them in anti-poaching techniques.
We have also developed new enforcement strategies to improve surveillance routes for daily seaborne patrolling using our patrol vessels and foot patrolling from our observation posts and ranger stations. The team is also trained to use new equipment including night vision monoculars and GPS.
We have introduced the EarthRanger digital tool to allow our rangers and SFC members to provide real-time updates on MPA and fishery law violations, marine wildlife sightings or strandings, and other relevant events. Our team consists of seven male and two female rangers, all of them full-time, with ongoing recruitment amongst local fishers. Our rangers also spearhead our mission to monitor Crown of Thorns starfish (CoTS), assist with the installation of demarcation markers, and are involved in protecting sea turtle nests and raising public awareness.
Key compliance support and programmes include:
Our goal is for each Marine Protected Area to be self-sustaining by addressing the funding gaps that can hinder effective MPA management. Reinvesting profits from reef-positive businesses back into MPAs is a core part of our strategy. We also provide training for community members interested in getting involved in these initiatives.
A reef-positive business is a solution that reduces specific drivers of coral reef ecosystem degradation and contributes financially to MPA management. Blue Alliance PECCA aims to become self-sustaining through the development of a pipeline of reef-positive businesses in and around the Blue Economy. These sustainable businesses will improve the livelihood of coastal communities, reduce threats to marine biodiversity, and create tangible revenue streams for reinvestment directly back into Blue Alliance.
The pipeline includes the development of new products and facilities in wildlife ecotourism, blue carbon credits sold through restoration and conservation of mangroves, the development of a hatchery and an extensive community-based aquaculture company preventing overexploitation of wild stocks of sea cucumber. In addition, we have implemented a fishery supply chain company specialising in high-quality fish products, implementing sustainable fishing practices around the MPAs, and increasing revenues for coastal fishers. Other revenue streams are being explored through plastic recycling and fishery improvement projects.
Key sustainable revenue generation initiatives include:
Through BlueWild EcoVentures, our ecotourism division, we aim to harness tourism as a sustainable means of financially supporting Marine Protected Areas and to reduce drivers of coral reef ecosystem degradation linked to tourism activities.
Our approach is founded on three pillars:
As part of our social enterprise network and through our Blue finance facility, we have partnered with Manta Pemba Island to develop the Pemba Coral Reef Safari, a unique dive experience in which 1/3 of the price paid by divers goes directly to conservation and communities in North Pemba. Other exciting developments are on the horizon.
More about our tourism-related work, partnerships, and sustainable travel inspiration will soon be featured on our Encounter Pemba website.
We are developing sea cucumber community-based aquaculture projects with the key objectives of growing sustainable incomes for MPAs and supporting local communities through job creation. The hatchery and grow-out culture for sea cucumbers will also prevent the overexploitation of wild stocks and maintain ecosystem integrity.
Actively enforcing fishery and MPA laws, ensuring sustainable fishing in 27,000 Ha MPA.
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