The status of Mtwapa Creek mangroves as perceived by the local communities

Abstract

Aims and scope: The Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science provides an avenue for the wide dissemination of high quality research generated in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, in particular on the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources. This is central to the goal of supporting and promoting sustainable coastal development in the region, as well as contributing to the global base of marine science. The journal publishes original research articles dealing with all aspects of marine science and coastal management. Topics include, but are not limited to: theoretical studies, oceanography, marine biology and ecology, fisheries, recovery and restoration processes, legal and institutional frameworks, and interactions/relationships between humans and the coastal and marine environment. In addition, Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science features state-of-the-art review articles and short communications. The journal will, from time to time, consist of special issues on major events or important thematic issues.

Local people and mangroves: Ecosystem perception and valuation on the south west coast of Mauritius

“…The majority of family heads were the sole bread winner and also obtained their monthly income through formal employment in different sectors. Therefore, in this study poverty was insignificant as compared to a similar study in Kenya where local communities were found to be highly dependent on the mangroves as a means to diversify their source of income due to lack of other opportunities and low levels of education (Okello, 2019).…”

“…This indicated that with more awareness, the high frequency of respondents who opined "I have no idea" and "It is an eyesore obstructing the beautiful scenery of the sea" would decrease. Consequently, the findings of this study are interesting and unique in the sense that studies from other counties (Okello, 2019;Naylor et al, 1998) reported that local communities who lived adjacent to mangrove ecosystems had an adequate level of knowledge on their goods and services. Thus, it is apparent that public understanding and awareness with respect to the mangrove biological and economical values can be improved if the local community is made aware of the full potential benefits that could be derived from the mangrove forest (Rahman and Asmawi, 2016).…”

“…This was a way to diversify their source of income (Cinner et al, 2009). In a study conducted by Okello (2019) in Kenya, a high reliance on mangroves for livelihoods was noted. This was mainly because 62 % of the Kenyan coastal population were living below the poverty threshold of USD1.25 per day (Okello, 2019).…”

“…In a study conducted by Okello (2019) in Kenya, a high reliance on mangroves for livelihoods was noted. This was mainly because 62 % of the Kenyan coastal population were living below the poverty threshold of USD1.25 per day (Okello, 2019). However, in the present study, the great majority of respondents living along the south west coast of Mauritius were in the middle or low-income class who obtained their monthly income through formal employment in different sectors.…”

Spatial distribution of heavy metals in surface sediments of Kalametiya Lagoon in southern Sri Lanka; insight towards pollution status and socio-economic interactions

“…Due to this fact, majority of the dwellers are reluctant in using lagoon water for their daily use. However, such kind of livelihood transformations are not uncommon in Sri Lanka as well as the other parts of the world (Okello et al 2019;Madarasinghe et al 2020aMadarasinghe et al , 2020b.…”