Fishermen, scientists, tourism professionals, and national park managers all have one thing in common: they are involved in what is known as the ‘blue economy’. Who are they and how do they ensure sustainable use of marine resources? A series of videos sheds the light on their challenges. Two of them relates to the DiDEM components.
Mwanase, Dinis, Adifaon and Viviane agreed to share their experience and daily life focused on protecting the Indian Ocean. They explain what the ‘blue economy’ means for them. Economic activity generated by the Indian Ocean must enable fair and inclusive economic and social development, benefit regional communities, guarantee sustainable resources, and protect marine and coastal environments.
The dilemma lies in finding a balance between economic priorities and environmental conservation. “It’s important to fish with non-destructive techniques to ensure resources are protected for the long term and future generations,” explains Adifaon, a ranger at Mohrli National Park in the Comoro Islands.
The videos present the daily work in the field by Viviane Givene, a seafood collector in Toliara (Madagascar), Mwanase Ahmed, head of a tourism business in Kilifi (Kenya), Dinis Juizo, a hydrologist researcher working on the Incomati Delta (Mozambique), and Adifaon, a ranger at Moheli National Park. This series explains the role played by the Indian Ocean in the lives of coastal populations and the need to protect it.
In 2021-22, France is working with the region on a project focusing on the blue economy in the Indian Ocean. This includes many local civil society initiatives, research projects about the ocean and blue economy actors, and events for raising awareness about the need for a fair and inclusive blue economy.
How does river flow influence the entire estuary ecosystem? That is the subject of Dinis Juizo’s research. We met him in the Incomati Delta in southern Mozambique. As part of an interdisciplinary team, he identifies the flows needed to preserve Indian Ocean deltas which are nurseries for fish and a source of income for the local community.
It’s time for the second video profile of people working in the #BlueEconomy in the Indian Ocean!
#IOBlueYear #BlueEconomy
March 2022
Next stop: Mohéli National park in the Comoro Islands! Adifaon gives a close-up of his daily life with fishermen, scientists, and locals who live in the Indian Ocean. In this first video about the #BlueEconomy in the Indian Ocean, he explains the importance of protecting the ocean and controlling fishing to maintain a blue economy that respects the environment and sustains the population.
#IOBlueYear #BlueEconomy
Know more about the participatory observatory of the coastal erosion in Mohéli and Anjouan
February 2022