Faza Youth Action Group (FYAG), are commencing a 5-month project in February 2022 to engage with stakeholders, communities and environmental organisations across the fisheries industry on Pate Island to strengthen governance of BMUs, increase the awareness of sustainable fishing practices and facilitate a fishing gear swap in partnership with Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT).

FYAG will empower and engage communities and stakeholders to ensure participatory decision-making to achieve the sustainable development of artisanal fishing on Pate while preserving the environmental, social, and cultural integrity of the indigenous community.

Due to local and international overfishing and environmental degradation, fishery resources are depleting. This has led to artisanal fishermen turning towards more environmentally harmful fishing methods such as fishing in shallow waters, on coral reefs and the use of illegal fishing gears. These methods lead to an increased catch of juvenile fish which causes further issues of depletion in the future.

The project outputs include:

• A fishing gear swap, where fishermen are provided with alternative fishing gears which are legal, economically viable and environmentally friendly when they trade in illegal gears.
• Through community training, there will be increased awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of using legal fishing gears among fishers and BMUs.
• Entrepreneurship training will encourage fishers to come together as a cooperative allowing them to take control of market prices bringing economic stability.
• The promotion of gender equality as women will be invited to discuss and give input in economic agendas.
• Increased awareness among communities of the importance of environmental conservation through ongoing group discussions and beach clean-ups.
• Capacity building of local BMU’s to
  • Improve governance
  • Strengthen and introduce local byelaws regarding catch limits, permitted technology, seasonal closures
  • Building unity across different areas to ensure wider support for the implementation of new byelaws
• The creation of a community agreed strategic plan to ensure modern, legal fishing methods are adopted while a greater emphasis is placed on marine conservation.