IMIS

The database focuses on seven artisanal landing stations along the western Indian Ocean coast of Kenya; Mvumoni, Mkwakwani, Mwaepe, Mvuleni, Mwanyaza, Chale and Gazi. The seven stations are spread along the south coast of Kenya, from about 30 km south of Mombasa town to about 80 km north of Tanzanian border. Resource use conflict is highest in these areas, attracting attention from scientists and managers. The importance of subsistence resource use in a degrading environment and the influence of poverty on the interactions between human and environment were cited by Obura as principal factors for the selection of these areas. This notwithstanding, CORDIO-EA is a non govemmental organisation with limited funds and as a result can carry out monitoring for a limited area only. However, depending on the success of the monitoring program, the monitoring methods will be applied to other areas along the Kenyan coast, as demonstrated by the current addition of monitoring sites. One fisherman with some formal education was elected from each landing station by members of their fishermen group to collect data. At least ten fishermen are sampled each sampling day, two days in a week. Kiswahili and Digo (local language) are used for field data recording so as to maintain originality of information collected and for easier interpretation of results by the fishermen. Variables consistent with fishermen's knowledge and practices as well as catch monitoring needs are used, namely: name of the captain, number of crew, gear used, vessel or means of transport, fishing site, total catch (kg) and catch composition (taxa and number of fish). Individual fish weights are not recorded; often the species are too many in a single catch and fishermen are impatient to wait, and they don't easily allow the data collectors to even touch their fish. A spring balance is used to measure landed catch to the nearest 0.5 kg. The common gears in use are: speargun (bunduki), harpoon (mkondzo), basket trap (malema), hook and line (mshipi), gill net (nyavu), bottom set net fiarife), cast net and seine/pull net. Common means of transport include dugout canoes (dau), outriggers (ngalawa), swimming (kuogelea) and walking in the reef (kutembea mwambani). Catch consists mainly of lethrinids (changu), scarids (pono), haemulids (futa), lutjanids (tembo), siganids (tafi), acanturids, balistids, octopus (pweza), squids (ngisi) and lobsters. Every monsoon season, two times a week, standard lengths of the most common fish caught by various gears are measured using a measuring board and recorded in their local names as well. Seasonal measurements ensure that the samples are representative of the time scales, although all-year-round measurements would be more representative if more funds were available. Since fish are landed while dead with high chances of broken caudal fins, standard length was chosen as a measure of length, instead of total or folk length.