Fishers’ Perception of Climate Change from 1986 to 2023 in the Dar es Salaam Coast of Tanzania

Abstract

Most coastal communities depend on marine resources for their sustenance. However, the impacts of climate change have seriously affected fishing activities in the area. The present study explored the fishers’ perception of climate change in the coastal areas of Kinondoni District in Tanzania. Fishers’ perceptions on climate change were evaluated through semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The data were analysed through discourse and theme content analysis, relative importance index, and Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 22. The results show that, during the span of three decades (1980s to 2020s), there has been a notable change in climate change, weather patterns, and their associated effects on fishing activities. Furthermore, most fishers believe that fish migration patterns and the variations in annual temperature are important indicators of climate change. It was also pointed out that climate change affects the precision of forecasting the wind patterns and storm occurrences, and thus affects the fishing activities. This uncertainty in weather forecasting brings difficulties in fishing operations. Specifically, climate change has led to fish population declines, shifts in fish distribution, and interruptions to fishing operations.