04/10/2018

In September 2017 we held Participatory Octopus Market System Development (PMSD) workshops in Pemba alongside our partners Fauna and Flora International (FFI). An article on this work has now been published in Oryx — The International Journal of Conservation.

Access the article here.

The PMSD workshops strengthened the understanding of communities towards the octopus market, brought together stakeholders within the octopus market and enabled a relationship to be established between buyers and village fishers committees, including negotiating fixed prices for openings and a contribution per kg towards committee operating costs and pre-determined village development projects.

In the openings following the PMSD workshops there has been a significant change in negotiations between the fishers’ committee and buyers. “Opening day prices increased compared to prices observed on normal fishing days. In addition, the buyers’ contribution for conservation now partially covers the committees’ operating costs. This could be a sustainable finance model for longer term community-based conservation.”