Investigators: Innocent Wanyonyi (CORDIO E.A, Kenya); Beatrice Crona (University of Stockholm, Sweden); Sergio Rosendo (University of East Anglia, UK); Simeon Mesaki (UDSM, Tanzania); Almeida Guissamulo (UEM, Mozambique); Jacob Ochiewo (KMFRI, Kenya); Chris Poonian (Community Centred Conservation, Comores); Jim Anderson (ReCoMaP, Mauritius)
MAP OF STUDY SITES
Click on the white-marked areas to see a close-up on the study sites.
PROJECT SUMMARY
This research proposal addresses the social, cultural and economic issues related to migrant fishing in the Western Indian Ocean Region (WIO). It seeks to understand the problems associated with migrant fishing and recommend appropriate solutions. The research will be conducted in five countries namely Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar and Comoros. In-depth case studies on the causes and effects of fisher migrations will be conducted in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. This proposal will also expand current knowledge on the various groups engaged in migrant fishing operations over differing spatial and temporal scales in the WIO region. It will identify the main drivers behind migration of fishers and compare how these may differ temporally, and across fisheries, countries and/or cultural groups. The objectives of this study include identifying the factors that drive fishers to migrate from their home grounds, establishing the migratory patterns followed by different fisher groups and the factors influencing the choice of fishing areas by migrant fishers, assessing the impact of the migrant fishers on resident communities, determining the social and economic issues facing migrant fishers.
A thorough literature review will be conducted to gather secondary data on migrant fishing and fisheries management by synthesising information from different sources, including official government reports, mimeos, published journal articles and other published material. A combination of techniques will be used to collect primary data. These techniques will include key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, questionnaire administration, qualitative in-depth interviews, resource and activity mapping. The will be executed in 2 years. Outputs of the project will include a PhD. thesis, scientific publications, working papers from country case studies, project report that will synthesize the findings of the project and provision of valuable baseline data, recommendations for fisheries management, country level stakeholder/community sensitization and capacity building meetings, a final stakeholders workshop to discuss the findings and implications of migrant fishing for management.
