Munje Octopus Closure

Since September 2021, Munje community members have been implementing the octopus closure project. The process of establishing the closure was faced with a couple of challenges including community resistance to the initiative due to misinformation, poor BMU governance, and government frameworks that slowed the process. Nevertheless, the community came to a consensus to set up the closure on 19th June 2023. Marking of the closure boundary entailed the deployment of buoys in the selected Kibuyuni fishing ground in Munje which marked the onset of the long-awaited closure.

 The task ahead for the Munje community is to ensure proper and sustainable  management of the closure to harness its full benefits. A patrol team of 15 community members will be manning the closure day and night to prevent any form of illegalities. More importantly, ecological reef monitoring of the closure will also be done quarterly by 8 community ecological monitors with support from COMRED to inform closure management. The first period of the closure is expected to last for 4 months after which it will be opened in the month of October 2023 as stipulated in the closure guidelines. It is anticipated that the closure will contribute to food security through increased fish catch, spark eco-tourism opportunities in Munje which will improve the livelihoods of the community and improve ecological regeneration of the reef.