Fisheries assemblage and exploitation patterns in the seagrass meadows of Gazi Bay, Kenya

Fisheries are important to coastal communities supporting livelihoods through provision of food and income. A significant proportion of marine fisheries are associated with seagrass meadows. High productivity and structural... [ view full abstract ]

Fisheries are important to coastal communities supporting livelihoods through provision of food and income. A significant proportion of marine fisheries are associated with seagrass meadows. High productivity and structural complexity within seagrass support high fisheries diversity. Seagrass meadows also provide a wide range of other ecosystem services such as erosion protection and carbon sequestration. The carbon sequestration ability of seagrass meadows provide an opportunity to use them for climate change mitigation strategies. This study assessed the assemblage of fisheries and their patterns of exploitation in seagrass meadow at Gazi Bay, South coast, Kenya. Catch assessment from fishing activities and in depth interviews with users in the bay was carried out to determine species diversity and biomass and seagrass usage. Fisheries in seagrass meadows within the Gazi Bay are exploited using basket traps, hand lines, drag nets and gleaning. A total of 2200 individual consisting of 26 finfish, 4 molluscs, 1 crustacean and 2 echinoderms were sampled from catch assessment. Leptoscarus vaigiensis was dominant species overall as well as in basket traps accounting for 36.6% and 51.4% respectively. Catch from gleaning the second dominant exploitation method was dominated by Conger cinereus cinereus (33.3%). Highest diversity and biomass was recorded in basket traps. Seagrass meadows in Gazi Bay provided a wide array of ecosystem services such as fishing ground, nursery ground and substrate for seaweed farming. This study provided baselines for fisheries diversity and livelihoods as additionality for potentially incorporating seagrass ecosystems in carbon payment scheme.