Conservation, Sustainable Consumption Doesn’t Mean Eating Less

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian Nation, once said that there was enough for everyone’s need, but there wasn’t enough for everyone’s greed. Though his statement was made many years ago, it still rings true today. Greed, clouded in the name of self advancement has sparked off misuse of resources, threatening to exhaust God given fortune to mankind. 

The degradation or call it misuse of marine resources in the country hit a turning point in 1980s when dynamite fishing, quarrying of coral reef for limestone baking and reckless harvesting of mangroves reached its zenith. This uncalled for practice hit Mafia Island in the 1970s and 80s, prompting one marine scientist to bemoan the island as “a paradise lost.”

A lot of pressure was put on the government by scientists and civil society to declare the four islands off Dar es salaam coast-Mbudya, Pangavini, Bongoyo and Fungu Yasini and Mafia Island, marine reserves in the mid 1970’s.

Although they were legalised and declared a no take zone in the 70s, there was no enforcement mechanism put into place. Greed took the helm causing environmental degradation through dynamite fishing, tree cutting and quarrying. In 1994, Act no 29 established Marine parks and reserves turning Mafia Island into a marine park and placing the administration of marine reserves to Marine Park and Reserves Unit (MPRU), of the Ministry of natural Resources and Tourism.

Two years later, the government established the Board of Trustee of Marine Parks and Reserves to steward the conservation, protection and rehabilitation of degraded marine resources for the benefit of the present and future generations.

The challenge that faced the board on its onset was limited financial and capacity resources to halt the degradation of marine resources through dynamite, coral quarrying, indiscriminate tree cutting especially of mangroves and other unsustainable use of the non-renewable marine resources.

The task however was made more burdensome by the fact that, Mafia Island which had been legalised as a no take zone was inhabited by residents whose well-being depended on fishing. More disturbing the boundaries of the park and the reserves were paper boundaries hence enforcement was almost impossible.

People living in Mafia and other coastal communities close the park and the reserves did not understand the concept of conservation. They thought that, the policy would rob them of their fishing fields, thus forcing them to consume less or not at all.

Taking on the task undauntedly, the board made physical boundaries of Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP), demarcating no take zones with beacons and buoys. More encouragingly, the board allowed fishermen to carry on their activities in the buffer zones.

Initially people feared that the setting up of Marine Park in Mafia would curtail fishing activities but several positive activities undertaken by MIMP such as raising peoples’ awareness on the importance of sustainable fishing has helped convince people to discard the use of dynamite and other unsustainable fishing gear. 

The creation of community conservation committee which works hand in hand with MIMP has restored confidence among the community, a confidence which has been enhanced by increased fish landing due to undisturbed fish multiplication in no take zones, construction of secondary school, wells, and dispensaries and engaging of youths from the communities as Honorary Rangers.

MPRU has also advanced loans to fishermen to buy sustainable fishing gear, organised various training for honorary rangers ad allowed them to guide visitors in the parks and marines and also to carry on the selling of refreshments and food in the park, as a way to earn their living. 

Nine years on the board has overseen the making into reality two marine parks, namely Mafia Island Marine Park and Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park together with five marine reserves of Mbudya, Bongoyo, Pangavini and Fungu Yasini in Dar es Salaam and Maziwe in Tanga Region. 

More inspiring, through increased fish landing, the board of trustee has exposed as hollow the myth that conservation and sustainable consumption meant consuming less. Mafia Island has resurrected from a paradise lost to a wonder paradise where fish resources are increasing daily.