Empowering female fish workers for participatory coastal management in Tanzania

The coastal zones of Tanga and Coast Regions in Tanzania are characterised by mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs. Intensified migration to coastal areas and illegal and destructive fishing practices contribute to biodiversity loss. The project empowered coastal communities to become effective stewards of marine biodiversity and secure their own well-being and prosperity. To do so, it trained 160 female fish workers in marine biodiversity conservation and supported them in mobilizing key actors (councillors, leaders, youth) to take action against threats to biodiversity. For the entire project duration of two years, female fish workers joined a mentoring program to become local leaders and biodiversity champions.