Social-ecological system analysis of an invertebrate gleaning fishery on the island of Unguja, Zanzibar

Abstract

Invertebrate gleaning is a small-scale fishery that commonly occurs in the intertidal zone across the tropical Indo-Pacific. In this study, we investigated and analyzed several components of this fishery on the island of Unguja, Zanzibar by employing the social-ecological systems framework from Ostrom 2009. In doing so, we conducted ecological surveys, catch assessments, interviews with gleaners, household surveys, focus group interviews and analyzed the governance structure. This social-ecological systems analysis showed that gleaning is important for food security, local culture and livelihood. Yet, the multiple approaches in our study revealed that the local intertidal zone is degrading and that the gleaned catch is changing. Local narratives indicate that economically important bivalves (Modiolus spp.) and gastropods (Strombus spp.) are in decline, which was paralleled with low abundances of both genera within the ecological survey of the intertidal and catch landing assessment. We recommend that invertebrate gleaning, a fishery mainly comprised of women should be included in fisheries management.

Effect of rotational harvesting on the size composition of Cape rock oysters Striostrea margaritacea on the east coast of South Africa

“…The diver model captured the longer-term cyclical effects of the rotational harvest strategy well, whereas the diver vs collector model better accommodated harvest method, as a proxy for two effects that could not be partitioned with the available data; harvesting on 12 intertidal vs shallow sub-tidal reefs, and a gender dichotomy with women as intertidal collectors and men as divers. Gender-segregation in nearshore fisheries is common in the western Indian Ocean region (Murunga 2021) where women typically glean or use mosquito nets in the intertidal to catch invertebrates or small fish (Samoilys et al 2019;Stiepani et al 2023). The distinct fishing practices of women can provide important ecological information on the human role in marine ecosystems (Kleiber et al 2015) but was not pursued in our study.…”

Environmental coastal research: a systematic review for Azores and Cabo Verde, two peripherical Macaronesian archipelagos

“…It is also easy access and has great importance to humans, for instance for economic exploitation (Freitas et al, 2007;Rudorff et al, 2009;Diogo et al, 2016;Faria et al, 2018) (see Figure 6, resource exploitation). There are other studies that highlight the importance of invertebrates as a food source for populations on islands in different regions of the world, such as Unguja, Zanzibar (Stiepani et al, 2023) or in South Pacific islands, such as Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji Islands, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna (Kronen et al, 2010). However, there is few research on coastal microorganisms, plants, and lichens.…”

Compliance, Complexity and Cephalopods- Disaggregated Responses to Participatory Marine Conservation & Management

“…Emblematic of forfeited catches, impacted livelihoods and identities, hidden under a diversity of postures and justi cations. The attention given to these shers by other participant groups as well as gender as a category more generally, in a non-compliance frame of reference, highlights the need to properly and meaningfully engage with 'lower-status' or unrecognised groups like Skin Divers', or Foot sherwomen (de la Torre-Castro et al, 2014; Fröcklin, 2014; Stiepani et al, 2022). Not doing so can mean unknowingly provoking noncompliance while increasing the burden on others' shoulders e.g.…”