Publication: Estuarize-WIO: A socio-ecological assessment of small-scale fisheries in estuaries of the Western Indian Ocean
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2021-12-23
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Western Indian Ocean Marine Association
Publisher
Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science
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Abstract
Estuaries provide unique ecosystem goods and services and have been focal points for human
settlement and resource use throughout recorded history. In the Western Indian Ocean (WIO)
region, the effects of human population growth, rapid economic development and climate change
on estuaries threaten their ecological functioning and the sustainability of estuary-dependent
livelihoods. Governance systems are ill-equipped to deal with the mounting challenges. Longterm datasets that describe estuary-scale trends are scarce, and socio-ecological interactions that
support sustainable use of resources are incompletely understood. To address these gaps, the
Estuarize-WIO project (2016-2019) compiled datasets on biophysical, ecological, socioeconomic and fisheries aspects of selected estuaries in Mozambique (Bons Sinais), Tanzania
(Ruvu) and Kenya (Tana), analysed trends per estuary, and used a socio-ecological systems
(SES) framework to integrate information from multiple sources at local and regional levels. The
introductory paper of this Special Issue of the Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science
provides regional context and reviews the relevant literature available for WIO estuaries. In
succeeding papers, estuarine circulation is inferred from hydrological measurements, seasonal
and decadal trends in land cover and land use are investigated using remote sensing images,
household surveys are used to investigate socio-economic circumstances and resource use, and
long-term catch survey data and field samples are used to describe small-scale fisheries. In the
synthesis paper, a SES framework is constructed to investigate linkages and feedback loops in
individual estuaries. A regionally comparative analysis accross the WIO region was conducted,
and recommendations were made for future research and governance. The methodological
approach developed for Estuarize-WIO is well-suited to research of data poor systems with
limited accessibility and research infrastructure.
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Keywords
eastern Africa, estuary-dependent livelihoods, climate change, natural resources, population growth, satellite