Challenges of Artisanal Fisheries Towards the Transformation of the Emerging Blue Economy in Zanzibar

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the challenges of artisanal fisheries in Zanzibar. The artisanal fishery is among the key segments of the emerging Zanzibar blue economy. Therefore, it is more than significant to examine the challenges of artisanal fisheries for spearheading the blue economy transformation in the country. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was conducted in five villages in Zanzibar with a sample of 333. A cross-sectional research design was applied to generate quantitative and qualitative data. The IBM Statistical Software Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS) version 25 was used to code and compute descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages for quantitative while the qualitative data were analysed thematically. Findings: Analysis of the data found that lack of capital, traditional and ineffective fishing facilities, poor market systems, overfishing, decline of marine fish stock, absence of fishers’ rescue facilities and weak enforcement of fisheries laws and regulations were the major artisanal fisheries challenges in the study area. Implications/Originality/Value: The study provided strategic recommendations to the governmental and other fisheries stakeholders to take action on the scenario and drastically enable the artisanal fisheries to become sustainable.