Assessment of the beach management Units strategy on the Lake Victoria fisheries resources in Ilemela district, Tanzania
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Date
2008
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study was undertaken in Ilemela District, Mwanza region, Tanzania. The main objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of Beach Management Units (BMUs) as a strategy for managing the Lake Victoria fisheries resources. The emphasis was on how BMUs have managed to reduce illegal fishing, beach pollution, and degradation of fisheries resources and facilitate effective management of the lake environment. The data was collected using both quantitative and participatory methods. Participatory methods aimed at collecting qualitative historical data and involved key informant interviews, focus group discussions and field observation. Quantitative data was collected using a structured household questionnaire. The findings from the study show that to a large extent the BMUs in the Lake Victoria basin have succeeded in restricting washing, bathing, and damping of wastes from adjacent villages into the lake, thereby reducing lake pollution. It has also been observed that the strategy has established cooperative management arrangements of the fisheries resources for the benefit of the entire basin community Among the efforts undertaken by the BMUs is the use of traditional fisheries management approaches (e.g. Ndiba) that were in the past considered to be very sustainable in managing fisheries resources and protection of fish breeding sites. However, some community members are still not aware of the BMU activities. The major conclusion is that BMUs have been successful in ensuring sustainable management of the fisheries resources. To ensure sustainability of BMU functions, they should be given more moral and material support by the government. Furthermore BMU information exchange needs to be enhanced so as to facilitate sharing of experiences.
Description
Available in printed form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF SH328.N93)
Keywords
Fisheries management, Lake Victoria, Lake victoria Fisheries Resources, Ilemela, Tanzania
Citation
Nyega, N. (2008) Assessment of the beach management Units strategy on the Lake Victoria fisheries resources in Ilemela district, Tanzania. Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam.