The Influence Of Socio-Economic Activities On Wembere Wetland Fish Resource In Tabora Region

ABSTRACT

About 10% of Tanzania area is covered with wetlands and some wetlands are very rich in fish resources. However, there is increase of socio-economic activities that put threats to these ecosystems. This study was conducted in the Wembere wetlands to investigate the influence these activities have on wetland fish resources. 100 respondents were used 94 picked simple random samplings and 6 were purposefully sampled. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyse data. Trend of fish resource and number of fishermen were analysed by using linear regression model and the findings show a very slight increase of total catch (R2 =4.9%) while the amount of fishermen increased dramatically (R2 =.97.4%). This data suggests the decline in CPUE. Thus, CPUE suggests the decline in wetland fish resources. Also, questionnaire data show 97.3% of respondents answered catches per hour (C/h) to fall to less than 10kg/hour in 2016, while in ten years ago C/h was more than 10kg/hour answered by 89.5% of respondents. Illegal fishing methods such as bottom trawling and the use of small casted nets affect the wetland fish resource. Poor farming methods such as river diversion, clearing of hydrophytes, water pumping has affected water lagoons/pools which are wetland fish habitat. Livestock grazing and deforestation cause sedimentation on swamps which led to reduction of the depth of wetland swamps. Generally, interventions to combatthese impacts from human activities are poor. Increase of population, lack of education, poor financial ability for patrolling to mention few are challenges facing Wembere wetland fish resource management. It is recommended that, land evaluation should be conduct in order to set a new land use plan in the wetland to rescue fish resource.