Social and Ecological Linkages in Marine Resource Use : A Case Study of the Primeiras e Segundas Archipelago in Mozambique

Implementing successful marine protected areas (MPAs) requires an understanding of local marine ecosystems, fisheries and human communities. A rapid assessment conducted in October 2006 was used to identify resource use patterns in the Primeiras and Segundas (P&S) archipelago in Mozambique, by examining data on local marine fisheries, demographic and economic context, as well as the current resource governance regime. Findings suggest that resources users employ low-selectivity fishing gear due to a combination of factors, including institutional weakness, resource dependence by coastal communities, and economic importance of target species, thus threatening the viability of local fisheries and ecological integrity of the area. This paper demonstrates that the inclusion of social and demographic data in rapid assessment promotes a nuanced understanding of the state of the marine system, the predominant threats to system health, and the social drivers that underlie resource use patterns. Information on these dynamics can be used to inform MPA design, promoting more effective governance and voluntary compliance of resource users with management regulations, and, ultimately, increasing positive returns from the MPA to local communities through improved system productivity.