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Access of vulnerable community members to income-generating bivalve aquaculture and protection of marine species through demonstrated enhanced management and potential blue carbon solution to sustain and replicate the Locally Managed Marine Area of Bandar in northern Mozambique

Indigenous and Community Conserved Area (ICCA) Key Biodiversity Area Marine Manages Areas

Governance Management Effectiveness Livelihoods

Local communities Women Farmers/ Fishermen

Livelihoods/Alternative economic activities Co-management Capacity Building

Medium Grant | 109,340€ Mozambique; Southern Africa 01.01.2023– 31.03.2024

Protected and conserved area(s) concerned

Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA), Bandar, Southern Cabo Delgado Province

The BIOPAMA AC Objectives addressed

Enhance the management and governance of priority areas by addressing existing limitations
Enforce the legal framework required to achieve effective biodiversity conservation in protected areas
Support local communities’ initiatives aiming to enhance the livelihoods of local people whilst effectively contributing to protected areas’ management

Priority need addressed

The priority actions for the LMMA of Bandar were identified using the IMET and SAGE diagnostic tools, an initial phase funded by BIOPAMA STGA. Priority needs identified were:

To involve women mosquito net fishers (MNFs) in all stages of the process of establishing LMMAs, defining strategies to control overfishing and harmful gear use and prioritising offsetting the opportunity costs faced by women MNFs.

To operationalise and strengthen the Bandar co-management committee (Bandar Community Fisheries Council (CCP)): capacity building of Bandar CCP members in administrative management, financial management, legislation, planning and management of small projects, and supporting infrastructure and equipment needs.

To co-design and establish communication and environmental education strategies through which the CCP can engage with the wider community (including formal and informal environmental education programmes).

The change the project implementation will bring for the protected area(s)

The northern coast of Mozambique is an area of important biodiversity. Poverty is widespread within communities here, and they are highly dependent on marine resources for their own subsistence. LMMAs support local fishers to manage resources sustainably and protect a variety of key habitats such as seagrass, intertidal areas and mangroves, benefitting the fish and other species found here. At the end of the project, there will be an increase in CPUE of two indicator species for fisheries (Octopus cyanea, Siganus sutor) as a result of coordinated enforcement and improved management of the LMMA of Bandar tackling overfishing, harmful fishing practices, and protecting mangroves.

In parallel to this, the project is seeking to reduce pressure on these key marine systems whilst also creating jobs by diversifying livelihoods. At project end, the enabling conditions will be identified and in place for key actors (women mosquito net fishers (MNFs) and salt producers) to engage with sustainable livelihood options, offsetting opportunity costs, linked with LMMA management, through a demonstrable alternative livelihood option (bivalve aquaculture), and increased capacity of Bandar CCP to continue implementing behaviour change strategy beyond project timeline.

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