Politics in Fisheries Management: Consultation with Fishing Communities in the Indian Ocean, Tanzania

Abstract

Fisheries resources are declining globally. The fishers around the globe have been largely blamed for the decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of politics on fisheries management in Tanzania. To achieve this, a qualitative study was conducted in three fishing communities along the Indian Ocean. A total of forty six interviews was conducted. Additionally, six focus group discussions were conducted. Data were analyzed using a content analysis approach. Findings indicate that, politicians influenced sustainable fisheries management efforts in the study areas. This study concludes that, fishers should not be blamed for failures of sustainable fisheries management initiatives; instead, researchers and fisheries managers need to acknowledge and address several forces that shape and influence fishing practices including politics.