Socioeconomic Facet of Fisheries Management in Hombolo Dam, Dodoma - Tanzania
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Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Vol 90, No. 1 (2021) 67-81 SOCIOECONOMIC FACET OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN HOMBOLO DAM, DODOMA - TANZANIA Gayo, Leopody Department of Biology, University of Dodoma Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Assessment of fisheries activities in Sustainable practices have been a global socioeconomic context is paramount if to questionable topic in the natural resources guarantee adaptive co-management of the management. Water bodies like other resources. The study investigated the status environmental components are potential of fishing activities and documented the resources suffering devastating drivers threatening fish stock in the environmental pressure beyond their Hombolo Man-made Dam between January resilience capacity (Mulimbwa 2006; and October 2019. Semi-structured Carpenter and Kleinjans 2016). Scientific interviews, Focus group discussion, Key advice on the observance of fish limits to informants interviews, direct field ensure adherence on the Total Allowable observations and documentary review were Catch (TAC) for commercial fish stock has employed to collect data. Content analysis, not been respected (Mkama et al., 2010; Statistical Package for Social Sciences Glaser et al. 2018). Overfishing in the version 20 and ERDAS software were used Atlantic regions has been documented to be to analyze data. Results show the decline in attributed by the disregarding of TAC amount of fish harvested (AFH) by 72.5% at among Fisheries Ministers; For instance, in β ± SE: -0.99 ± 0.14, t=-3.05, p = 0.003 2016, Ireland, Spain, and Sweden allowed between 2011 and 2019. Similarly, number fishing at 26%, 24%, and 23%, respectively, of fishermen and fishing boats decreased by the percentage observed to be beyond their 67% at -0.36 ± 0.71, t=-0.24, p = 0.016 and TAC as per scientific advice (Carpenter 53% at -0.58 ± 0.21, t=-1.33, p = 0.006 2018). Demand for food and employment as respectively between 2005-2019. The well as waste production due to exponential observed decrease in AFH, fishermen and human population growth in Africa have fishing vessels perceived to imply the created irresistible threats to aquatic life decline in the dam fish stock. Overfishing, across the continent (Machumu and population increase, poverty and inadequate Yakupitiyage 2013; Nunan et al. 2018). law enforcement were perceived as drivers Habitat loss, waste discharge, decline in of fish stock attenuation. The study water quality and increased predation recommends further assessment of the dam pressure are some of the adverse impacts ecology for effective fish restocking and caused by anthropogenic activities to many provisioning of environmental education water bodies impairing specific needs to fish along with effective law enforcement for species (Van-der 2013; URT 2016). sustainable management of the dam. Scientific studies including official Key words: Overfishing; Population documents and field visits have revealed growth; Irrigation farming; Land cover/land several environmental impacts due to use change and Hombolo Man-made Dam. inadequate regulatory frame works during implementation of developmental programs (Nielsen and Holm 2007). Non- environmental Projects introduced in or around water courses have resulted into 67 Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Vol 90, No. 1 (2021) 67-81 decrease in water level and quality, conservation efforts of aquatic natural destruction and loss of riparian vegetation resources (Van-der et al. 2014, Mkumbo and aquatic life (Njiru et al. 2014), slope and Marshall 2015). instabilities and disruption of underground Hombolo Man-made Dam (HMD) situated water resource due to tunneling in Dodoma has the historical background of (Government of Malawi 2010). A notable sustaining the local livelihood in the range example is the establishment of of fishing, irrigation farming as well as developmental projects in fragile landscape water consumption for domestic use and and ecosystems such as wetlands in livestock since its establishment in 1957 by Uttarakhand, India that has adversely the colonial government (URT 2013). impacted biodiversity and produce However, since 2005 the dam has been environmental degradation (Pomeroy et al. experiencing acute decline in its potentials 2001). Increased wetlands degradation, lack towards the targeted objectives (Shemsanga of proper land-use and management plans, et al. 2017). The depth of the dam has absence of restoration plans for degraded decreased leading to decline in water wetlands and limited funds for enforcement volume and low fish harvests (Turner et al. of the existing guidelines are major 2019). Following the promotion of grape challenges hampering conservation efforts irrigation farming in Dodoma district, the of wetlands across sub-Saharan Africa motivated grape producers in Hombolo ward (Nielsen and Holm 2007). Therefore, such are competing to the available scarce water improper environmental management of in the dam (Shemsanga et al. 2015). water bodies has contributed to loss of Livestock herders with their stocks evicted livelihood potentials from water resources, from Dodoma urban migrate towards rural and loss of essential ecological and areas including Hombolo ward as it is hydrological functions (Pomeroy et al. remotely located from city centre (Soka et 2016). al. 2013). Consequently, increases in Regarding Tanzania, destruction of fish livestock population in Hombolo ward roam habitat and environmental degradation of along the buffer zones and shorelines of the shorelines, inadequate fish assemblages, HMD seeking for green pasture and water inefficient harvesting systems, stakeholder (Turner et al. 2019). Despite the HMD being conflicts, as well as lack of institutional and potential in supporting livelihoods of political will are the main challenges in thousands of people inhabiting in and maintaining and enhancing fisheries basin outside Hombolo ward particularly on food and accruing associated socioeconomic security and protein supply, less is benefits (Nielsen and Holm 2007, Pomeroy documented about the adverse impacts of et al. 2016). Fisheries officers experience socioeconomic activities on the dam fish difficulties in articulating conservation stock. Few researches assessed the causes of interests against developmental decisions increased salinity in the dam (Shemsanga et affecting aquatic environments (Lynch et al. al. 2017) and providing evidence of native 2017). Lack of reliable economic valuation tilapia extinction due to stocking (Turner et and political thump by the users has resulted al. 2019). Therefore, considering the into poor representation and perhaps integrity of Dodoma city, improving food neglecting the needs of fisheries managers security and protein sources through within existing political frameworks (Van- effective management of fishing activities to der 2013). The multi-sectoral nature of enhance fish stocks in the nearby water water resources development in the context bodies like HMD is paramount. It is with of socio-economic development has not this background the present study was been recognized and addressed in harmony carried out to assess the status of fishing (Nunan 2010). Thus, lucrative investments activities and document the perceived have undermined the management and drivers threatening fish stock in the dam. 68 Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation, Vol 90, No. 1 (2021) 67-81 The way forward to rescue this important al. 2015). Due to unreliable rainfall, the area asset is provided. has scanty vegetation such as shrubs, grasses as well as conspicuous baobab and acacia trees. The study focused on the HMD MATERIALS AND METHODS (Figure 1) established with 18 km2 in 1957 The study was done in Hombolo ward to reduce the effects of flooding used to within Dodoma Municipality, located happen during wet season (DMC, 2011). It between Latitudes 6.00 and 6.30 South, and is primarily used by inhabitants of Hombolo Longitude 35.30 and 36.02 East (Shemsanga ward for fishing, irrigation, domestic use et al. 2017). The area is within a semi-arid and livestock. Thus, the prime economic region with low uni-modal annual rainfall of activities in the study area are farming and about 550-600mm per annum, which falls livestock keeping (Shemsanga et al. 2017). between December and April each year The dam is inhabited by two species of fish (Namwata et al. 2015). Mean daily to include tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) temperature is lowest (13.0ᵒC) in July and and catfish (Clarias gariepinus). highest (30.6ᵒC) in November with annual mean temperatures of 29ᵒC (Shemsanga et Figure 1: Map of Dodoma District showing the study villages. Source: Institute of Resources Assessment GIS lab, University of Dar es Salaam. A cross-sectional research design was = 384.16 ≈ 384 employed as it allows collection of data Due to limited resources available in terms from selected individuals to represent the of time, manpower and finance, the sample general population at a time about the size of 300 respondents was used for information of interest (Punch, 2014). Poate household questionnaire survey for three and Daplyn (1993) formula was used to villages of Zepisa, Hombolo-bwawani and determine the sample size for the study: Ipala. Through stratified random sampling n = Z2 C2 Where; n = sample size used, within the ward, 10% of the respondents were sampled from each study village Z = 1.96 at 95% confidence interval (Table 1) as per human population statistics X2 C = 50%,