The role of community based initiatives in marine resources management: the case of Misali Pemba Island

Community-based management on marine resources is to achieve the objectives in natural resources management and conservation while also benefiting local communities, Community-based initiatives as management tools are being applied in Misali for more than one decade now. However, there is uncertainty as to what extent these community-based initiatives played their role in marine resources management and conservation. It is this gap that the study has attempted to bridge. The methods used involved interviews, observations, and discussions with the local people and officials from community-based initiatives. The findings of the study indicate that the community-based initiatives played important role in natural resources management and conservation including marine products, cultural services and religions values. A significantly number of villages (64.2%) is engaged in conservation initiatives such as seeding of mangrove trees, propagating environmental education among the villagers and observing good fishing techniques and creation of security systems. All these initiatives play a positive role towards marine resources management and conservation. The study recommends that government should promote community-based initiative as an appropriate type of management that will benefit and empower the local people with knowledge, skills and capacity so that they can also capture the wealth emanating from their natural endowments. The government should establish a clear linkage between community-based initiatives, development and poverty alleviation. Also involvement of the community in decision making about natural resources management must be considered.