Twenty community leaders and stakeholders from Tanga and Pemba have been trained to strengthen local efforts to protect Tanzania’s coastal and marine resources amid growing pressure on the ecosystems that support fishing and other livelihoods.
The training, conducted by the Fisheries Education and Training Agency (FETA) at its Mbegani Campus in Bagamoyo, focused on equipping participants with practical skills to promote sustainable use and management of marine resources within their communities.
The 14-day Conservation Leadership Training Programme ran from September 14 to 27, 2026, with funding from the Embassy of Ireland in Tanzania through the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Closing the programme on September 27, FETA acting chief executive officer Deus J. Bwathondi challenged the participants to take the lessons beyond the classroom and share them with communities that depend on coastal and marine resources.
He said the value of the training would be measured by how effectively participants used the knowledge to improve conservation and resource management in their respective areas.
“Those of you who have received this training should not be the only beneficiaries of this knowledge. You should become teachers and facilitators in your communities, sharing what you have learned to increase awareness and strengthen the management and conservation of coastal and marine resources,” Mr Bwathondi said.
The training covered community leadership, marine conservation, participatory resource management, monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of fishing activities, management of community groups and cooperatives, as well as financial management and marine-related economic activities.
Participants also took part in practical sessions aimed at connecting classroom lessons with challenges facing coastal communities.
For communities whose livelihoods depend on fishing and other marine activities, stronger local management can help improve awareness of sustainable resource use while increasing community participation in conservation efforts.
IUCN representative Joseph Olila urged the participants to become advocates for responsible leadership and sustainable use of coastal and marine resources in their communities.
He commended FETA for investing in community capacity and said IUCN would continue collaborating with the agency on conservation, skills development and initiatives supporting communities dependent on marine resources.
Mr Bwathondi said FETA would continue working with stakeholders to strengthen community capacity in conservation and sustainable resource use, while supporting national development priorities, including Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050.