Anjouan – June 12, 2025: The town of Moya hosted a unique forum bringing together around fifty fishermen from 11 coastal villages. Organized by the NGO Dahari, with the financial support of the CEPF (Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund), TUSK and the foundation McPike-Zima, this event aimed to share local experiences in marine resource management, inspire participants and lay the foundations for a network of collaboration between fishing communities.
Co-designing governance by fishermen
In Anjouan, as in the Comoros as a whole, the lack of strong institutions makes the establishment of inclusive and appropriate governance systems crucial. Our objective is to co-design governance by fishermen, representative and scalable, to ensure compliance with conservation measures. This approach aims to give more power to fishermen in the decision-making process and to include all different groups of fishermen in discussions and representation.
In this context, we organized this forum for exchanges between fishermen from 11 villages in the southwest of Anjouan to share their experiences, including successes and challenges, related to the management of marine resources, and explore how to strengthen these initiatives together.
For Dhouria Rakibou, a fisherwoman from the village of Imeré, this day will remain etched in her memory:
“The event had a profound impact on me. I didn't expect to feel so comfortable surrounded by people from ten different villages. And yet, thanks to Dahari's support, everything flowed naturally. The fact that we were regularly encouraged to mingle and communicate with each other helped me greatly to gain confidence, not only in myself, but also in the group. This experience really opened my eyes to the power of exchange and collaboration.”
Throughout the day, fishermen shared several innovative initiatives implemented in their fishing areas:
- Temporary closures octopus fishing,
- Creation of permanent reserves,
- Adoption of more sustainable fishing techniques, such as the use of wooden harpoons instead of iron harpoons, in order to protect corals when fishing for octopus.
Vassy, an exemplary permanent reserve
The testimony of the Vassy community was particularly memorable. In 2021, this village created the very first permanent community reserve in the Comoros. Four years later, the positive effects are already visible. As Ansoya Mohamed, president of the Malezi Mema fishing association in Vassy, points out:
"We're starting to see the return of species we haven't seen for years. And we're catching more fish around the reserve."
The discussions highlighted ongoing challenges, including monitoring protected areas to ensure their effectiveness. A team-building game strengthened the spirit of solidarity among participants, creating a climate of trust and mutual support.
This forum represents a key step toward establishing a learning network among fishermen committed to community-based management of marine resources. The long-term goal is to create a network of permanent reserves in other villages to ensure reef preservation and to strengthen coordination between fishing communities through a network of exchanges and support.
All participants expressed their willingness to renew these exchanges, convinced that collaboration between communities is essential to guarantee the sustainability of artisanal fishing and preserve the marine heritage of the Comoros for future generations.
