FOCUS ON: Desbureaux, S., J. Girard, A. Dalongeville, R. Devillers, D. Mouillot, N. Jiddawi, L. Sanchez, L. Velez, L. Mathon and A. Leblois (2024). “The long‐term impacts of Marine Protected Areas on fish catch and socioeconomic development in Tanzania.” Conservation Letters Vol 17, (n° 6).

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/conl.13048

In Tanzania, Marine Protected Areas Benefit the Local Economy

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Aiming to reconcile local economic activity with biodiversity conservation, multiple-use marine protected areas (MPAs) remain understudied. In Tanzania, recent research shows that the standard of living of people in villages located near or within MPAs has doubled compared to those further away.

Faced with the alarming collapse of marine biodiversity, multiple-use MPAs seek to balance nature conservation with economic development.

Although these areas allow certain human activities, they often impose strict regulations to reduce the impact of fishing, aquaculture, maritime transport, or other sectors on marine ecosystems. Their actual effects—on both the environment and local communities—remain debated and under-researched.

New research conducted in Tanzania sheds light on the long-term socio-economic impacts of MPAs. It highlights significant benefits for local populations, while also pointing out ongoing challenges for biodiversity protection.

Marine Protected Areas: Poorly Assessed

Marine biodiversity, in constant decline, is essential for ocean health and regenerative capacity. This degradation directly impacts the ecosystem services that human populations depend on, making it urgent to adopt sustainable policies that benefit both people and nature.

Among such policies, marine protected areas (MPAs) are zones where certain economic activities—particularly fishing—are allowed, but under stricter regulations than outside those areas.

These restrictions, particularly on fishing, often raise concerns that hinder the creation of such zones. Yet there is no solid evidence that MPAs negatively affect surrounding economies. Existing studies are typically small-scale and short-term, providing only a fragmented view of their real impacts.

It is therefore crucial to better document these effects, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Tanzania, where conservation and development goals are often seen as conflicting.

Combating Marine Biodiversity Collapse

The western Indian Ocean coasts, including those of Tanzania, clearly illustrate the challenges of marine resource management. These ecosystems are under increasing pressure from overexploitation and climate change.

Since the 1980s, fish stocks have drastically declined due to overfishing by both local and international fleets, affecting the 4.2 million Tanzanians who rely on fishing for their livelihoods. In response to this crisis, marine conservation initiatives began in the 1970s and expanded in the 1990s.

Among these initiatives is the establishment of marine protected areas, which now often incorporate socio-economic activities like beekeeping, agriculture, or aquaculture alongside conservation efforts.

What Are the Long-Term Effects?

A multidisciplinary team of international researchers—including marine ecologists, geographers, fisheries experts, and economists—recently published a study based on highly detailed economic data, enabling them to assess the long-term impacts of MPAs.

Misali Island, Tanzania. Antoine Leblois/Inrae, Provided by the author

This research builds on a 2003 study that found very limited effects of MPAs in Tanzania 3 to 8 years after their creation. Two decades later, the researchers revisited the original data and replicated the survey protocol across 24 coastal villages in Tanzania, located at various distances from MPAs. In each village, about 30 households were surveyed to assess their economic activities and living standards.

Using a statistical matching method to construct a comparison group of villages not affected by MPA implementation, this new study adds to the literature by analyzing longer-term effects and drawing robust conclusions.

A 50% Increase in Standard of Living

The study’s findings show a significant improvement in the living standards of communities near MPAs—a 50% increase compared to villages located farther away. These economic benefits were experienced by both poor and wealthy households.

Canoe and mangroves on Mafia Island, Tanzania. Antoine Leblois, Provided by the author

Interestingly, this increase is not directly linked to higher fish catches, but rather to a diversification of economic activities, especially in secondary and tertiary sectors such as nature-based tourism. These results challenge the assumption that local economic prosperity necessarily depends on a flourishing marine biodiversity.

However, the sustainability of these benefits remains uncertain. Continued degradation of marine ecosystems could eventually harm the tourism sector, triggering cascading negative effects on the local economy. To avoid this outcome, it is crucial to strengthen biodiversity protection within MPAs.

Strengthening Biodiversity Protection

If fishing yields are considered a good proxy for ecosystem health and biomass presence, MPAs have not succeeded in increasing them. Catch-per-unit-effort data between 2003 and 2021 show no improvement in resource conditions within protected zones.

Investing in biodiversity conservation may therefore be an economically sound decision. The additional costs of stricter protection for marine fauna and flora are likely minimal compared to the long-term economic benefits that healthy ecosystems could provide. By filling funding gaps and improving regulation enforcement, MPAs could play a central role in building a sustainable and prosperous blue economy.

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This article, produced with support from the CEE-M Communication Service, is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license (read the original article).