Communities working together are stronger. An exchange visit to learn about Collaborative Fisheries Co-management!

Our team have just returned from a week in Kilwa district of Tanzania learning from the experience of communities, some who have been  working together for more than 10 years, with the support of WWF Tanzania’s RuMaKi seascape programme.

Our group of 22 included representatives from 6 communities in Pemba, 4 staff from the Department of Fisheries, Mwambao staff from Pemba and Unguja Islands and our partner officer from Fauna & Flora International.

Neighbouring communities working together  offers scope for more effective and larger scale sustainable marine management activities. The learning exchange taught us some new lessons and confirmed much of our knowledge; establishing effective collaborative co-management between communities takes a long-term commitment of support, building capacity and relationships between multiple stakeholders (communities, law enforcement, fisheries administration) and facilitating adaptation.

We aim to develop the first Collaborative Management Group with communities we are already supporting  in Pemba later this year and supported by our partners Fauna & Flora International.