MANGROVES OF MARUHUBI BAY [ZANZIBAR] UNDER THREAT

Plastic carpet under mangroves of Maruhubi - Zanzibar. Critical situation.

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Kinazini-Maruhubi Mangroves.

Yussuf H. Kombo [MSc.]

Email: yhkombo@yahoo.com, yhkombo@hotmail.com

Tell: +255 713 459447

In July 2009, The Society for Natural Resources, Conservation and Development of Zanzibar [SONARECOD] conducted mangroves inventory in Zanzibar islands. The research team was composed of Mr. Pereira A. Silima (MSc. Forest Management), Soud M. Jumah (MSc. Bio-resources science) and Iddi H. Hassan (MSc Water resources & livelihood security). Mr. Kombo, the mangroves coordinator in the Marine and Environment Management Project [MACEMP], had a suppervisosry and coordinatory role during the whole research period.

The Maruhubi -Kinzaini mangroves area is located in Zanzibar town few kilometers from the Zanzibar harbour. The areas is very much affected by surrounding residential houses, small scale industries and dumping sites. Saateni, Kinazini and Mtoni streams poor water into the bay. Sand depositions and rubbishes as a results of erosion are found in Saateni bridge where deposited sites has allowed growth of banana and other plants species other than mangroves. this indicates that the rate of erosion in the uplnads is higher.

The mangroves inventory by Silima and his fellows, found that some mangroves does not occur in this areas. Deeper study is needed as to why this is happening. Species X. granatum, H. littoralis and L. racemosa were explained not encountered during the survey. They are probably absent in the area or are present in very small populations. The other species occur in the following relative densities: C.tagal makes up 42% of the population; B. gymnorrhiza 24%; R. mucronata, 18%, A. marina 9% and S.alba 4%. In terms of relative dominance the order is: B. gymnorrhiza (34%), R. mucronata (21%), C. tagal (17%) and S. alba (7%).

Exploitation: Silima at al (2010) also revealed that C. tagal is the most exploited species accounting for 45% of cut trees; B gymnorrhiza accounts for 21.58% while R. mucronata accounts for 16.84% of all the cut trees. Other species, which are represented by very small numbers of individuals, are minimally affected by exploitation.

Regeneration: The study also noted thatea, C. tagal has comparatively better regeneration accounting for 58.2% of the seedlings of all the species. B. gymnorrhiza is the other species with good regeneration commanding 40.21% of all seedlings. R. mucronata has poor regeneration at about 2%. The rest of the species showed zero regeneration.

The beautiful mangroves of Kinazini and Maruhubi bay beside been wonderful and nice to see, they are facing the problem of plastic waste accumulation [pictures above]. These wastes are the results of uncontrolled dumping of wastes from surrounding residential areas of Kinazini, Saateni, Gulioni and Muembe Makumbi. It is believed that some of these wastes are been brought by the streams from uplands residential areas. The mangroves regeneration has been checked due to accumulation of plastics that formed a carpet.

Reccomendations

i) The situation is critical and it needs urgent action. Beach clearners and voluntary organizations can play their role on educating the surrounding communities on the impact of plastics to the mangroves and their own lives.

ii) Conservation projects, NGOc, CBOs need to consolidate their efforts in making sure that the situation is under control.

iii) It is hypothesized that some of these plastic wastes affects near shore nursing fishing grounds. this call for a study to examine the extent of the problem and possible remedies

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For detailed information on Mangroves of Zanzibar, please contact

Pereira A. Silima, Soud M. Jumah and Iddi H. Hassan (2009): The Management Plan for Mangrove Ecosystem of Zanzibar: The Department of Commercial Crops, Fruits and Forestry, Zanzibar, The Marine and Coastal Environment Management Project (MACEMP).