WEALTH UNDER MARINE RESOURCE

For the societies along Mtwara coast belts oysters are famous fish type for their daily consumption. However, these fish category are very unique and important for wealth generation, this is due to availability and reproduction of peals within them that used for ornamental purpose.These fish are naturally found in the sea but nowadays fishermen/women in Collaboration with KIMWAM “Mtwara People’s Umbrella Organization” has started human controlled oyster production, which insures availability and controlled peals development in the farm till the harvesting season.

A production cost is very cheap and much environmentally friendly compared to prices sold for each peal. For example each 10 meter square can be raised by 150 to 300 oysters that each can have 2 to 5 peals that sold between 25,000.00 to 30,000.00 in Mtwara and 40,000.00 60,000.00 TSH in Zanzibar.

“It does not cost much rather than the special chambers made from woods that each oyster is kept and each costs just 500 to 2000 only”. It was explanation from Abdallah Mkwamba, one of the motivated and benefited from oyster production activities. He added, “The area where you undertake this project type it should be kept from frequent people’s interaction, that the water around the area should be cool to give a room these oysters to make good peals”.

Oysters takes only four to six months from planting stage to the harvest time that means that per year there should be two harvesting seasons. Oyster production activities play two great economic and environmental advantages; that the production area being a fish habitats and breeding grounds as they are conserved and therefore there will be availability of much fish than other areas not conserved.

It is up to you fishermen and women to take this opportunity into environmental friendly economic activities for sustainable economic and environmental development for the survival of our community and national in general. What you need is taking into account into how to undertake this economic activity for your development.
Written by; Hassani Samli-YET 2011.
Edited by; Hadija Malibicha - Supervisor.