In Mozambique, more than 60 percent of the population lives close to the coastline. Lives revolve around the ocean –fishing provides the main source of protein and is the only way many people can earn a living. But dependence on fishing is negatively impacting the communities, putting pressure on the ocean and causing depleted fish stock.
It’s also harming the marine life. Mozambique has one of Africa’s longest and most biodiverse coastlines, and it’s one of the few places in the world where year-round you can see manta rays and endangered whale sharks, the world’s largest fish. Yet, sightings have drastically declined in recent years.
Because many locals have been fishing all their life, solving the problem is not as simple as asking, or forcing, them to reduce the amount they fish or stop altogether. Only by equipping fishermen with the skills needed to find alternative forms of employment can the cycle be broken.
“I come from a family of fisherman, but I’m proud of myself for learning about marine conservation,” says Nelson, a 20-year-old Mozambican living in the coastal province of Inhambane. Nelson is passionate about the ocean and wants to become a marine biologist. For now, he works as a tour guide and translator for Tofo Life, a community-run ecotourism initiative where local women welcome tourists into their village and teach them about their daily life.
It’s not just any tour guiding job, though; Nelson is directly benefiting ocean conservation. The programme is part of a wider initiative, supported by the marine conservation charity Marine Megafauna Foundation, which helps Mozambique’s coastal communities find new, sustainable ways to earn a living that don’t rely on fishing. The goal is to move away from unsustainable fishing practices, such as artisanal gillnet fishing.
“The Tofo Life eco-tour is important because it helps ladies from the village to earn money, which not only improves their lives but helps to support families from many villages,” Nelson says.
When you’ve only ever known one way of earning a living, finding employment through alternative means can feel pretty much impossible. Imagine applying for a job with no relevant skills, experience, or training. This is the case for many people in Mozambique who have fished all their lives.
But there are a range of different career paths available for local men and women who are interested in retraining– and many are.
One apprentice who dreams of becoming a chef is now training as a cookery assistant in a local restaurant, and 15 fishermen have found work making eco-friendly bamboo straws (as an alternative to plastic) for a local business.
Two gillnet fishermen, Fernando and Carlos, have completed an apprenticeship scheme with local dive school Peri-Peri Divers. They’ve passed their Open Water scuba diving course, been trained in all aspects of how a dive school operates, and are taking English lessons to help them interact with the tourists who flock to Tofo for its world-class diving. Now, fully versed in the workings of a dive school, the possibility of a career in the dive industry lies ahead.
“My feelings about fishing are not the same now, because I realize that gillnets remove everything from the ocean– even small fish, stones and reef–which is not good,” Fernando says. “I would like other fishermen to change their minds about using gillnets too, and try to find another source of income or use nets that do not have such a small mesh.”
Because they had been speargun fishing previously, Fernando and Carlos were able to swim before they started the apprenticeship. “Our dive instructor, Moises, was really surprised at how confident we were in the water!” Fernando says, telling me about his first ever scuba dive in the open ocean.
This is not the case for many Mozambicans. For the majority, the sea is seen as something terrifying and most, including many fishermen, are unable to swim. They risk their lives every day going out to the ocean to find food to provide for their families. So, perhaps it’s unsurprising that the community is largely supportive of the opportunity to find jobs that don’t involve facing the treacherous ocean every day.
Another gillnet fisherman benefitting from the project is Mr. Igreja, who now has an agriculture business growing fruit and vegetables to sell in the market and to local restaurants. For the men and women who are pioneering these projects, there is a clear sense of pride. Rather than feeling put out at losing his status as the “big man” of the gillnet fishermen, Igreja is excited by the opportunity to become famous for the success of his agriculture venture.
“I want everybody to know who I am and for all the community to know me as the lead farmer. I also want to be an example for the community, so that they can understand that farming works and is a good project to be involved with. Hopefully, other members of the community will be inspired by me to set up agriculture projects too,” he says.
But it’s not all about personal fame. “I want them to understand that the project is a good thing for the whole community,” he says.
Nelson, similarly, hopes that what he’s learned about protecting the ocean will spread. “I hope other Mozambican people will change their mind about the sea and realize that the ocean isn’t only there to supply us with food.”
