Octopus fishing represents an important source of food and income for coastal communities that depend on the sea for their livelihood. In the south of Anjouan, it is a vital economic activity that creates jobs for local fishers.

Key points to know about octopus fishing

At low tide, fishers head out on foot to the coral formations along the beach, carrying wooden harpoons as they search for holes or crevices in the coral where octopuses take shelter. This is the traditional method for catching octopuses, though some prefer to wait for high tide to hunt them while diving.

Access to this resource is unregulated in the region, which attracts many fishermen to the reef flats. In addition to overfishing, there are also destructive fishing practices, notably the use of iron bars, which exert strong pressure on the corals. The iron bar translates in Comorian as " ntsontso ...is the tool most commonly used to catch octopuses. This tool causes significant destruction to the corals that serve as a habitat for octopuses and many other marine species.

The women fishers of Maecha Bora, an association founded in 2018, aim to coordinate the sustainable management of marine resources in the villages of Dzindri, Vassy, ​​and Salamani. After being trained by Dahari, the members of the association took the initiative to train the women fishers in their community in the use of wooden harpoons or " mwiri ”, a sustainable fishing technique.

The advantages of using a wooden harpoon or " mwiri »

Hadidja Bacar, a member and trainer at Maecha Bora, saw the immediate benefits of using the mwiri “It was during the reopening of the fishing season after a three-month closure… We had to bring the wooden harpoon to fish for octopus. I wasn’t confident in the method’s effectiveness, but to my great surprise, I managed to catch large octopuses weighing up to 3 kilos. Unlike with an iron bar, when you spear the octopus with the mwiri, it comes out of the hole easily without breaking the corals. The results are impressive.”

Fishermen use bamboo to craft sturdy wooden harpoons. Bamboo is very robust, yet not strong enough to damage the coral. The wood is then whittled down to create a sharp, pointed tip.

The fisherwomen of Baecha Bora are convinced: the mwiri This can significantly reduce the use of iron bars for octopus fishing, and therefore the destruction of coral reefs, in the southern regions of Anjouan. At their initiative, they will train 90 female fishers in the villages of Dzindri, Vassy, ​​and Salamani. From 2018 to 2022, 80% of people used the mwiri , whereas before 2018, no one used it.

More than 90 women trained

Two trainers then travel to the town of Moya to work with local fisherwomen, effectively sharing this practice so that they, in turn, can become local leaders in sustainable fishing—much like the fisherwomen of Maecha Bora.

Mouniat Souf, a trainer from the village of Salamani, is very enthusiastic about sharing this sustainable fishing technique. “We need to understand that corals are vital to marine biodiversity. It is within the coral that the entire reproductive process of marine life takes place. When we use a wooden harpoon, octopuses are easy to catch while the coral remains protected, providing a refuge for the next generation of octopuses.”

A motivating experience for the two trainers from Maecha Bora

Hadidja Bacar led four training sessions. According to her, the sessions were motivating: "The sessions I led were interesting. We covered the theory, then headed out to sea to practice using a wooden harpoon. During the practical portion, the participants could clearly see that what they had been taught was no different from the reality in the field. They viewed me as a professional, rather than someone who didn't know what she was doing... I felt honored by that level of regard."

For Mouniat Souf, it's an initiative worth taking on. "My biggest fear was whether people would understand what I was teaching. Some of the women were new to fishing and had never caught octopus before. I appreciated their presence because they understood the advantages of using the..." mwiri to protect the corals. At the end of the training sessions, the participants were able to catch an octopus using a wooden harpoon. I am confident that they will be able to share this skill with other female fishers.”