Participatory Mapping of Fishing Grounds
Nimrod Ishmael
Research Assistant
Who gets a say in how our oceans are governed?
Marine governance decisions are often made without the direct involvement of the communities whose lives and livelihoods are most closely linked to coastal and ocean resources. This exclusion can limit the effectiveness and legitimacy of marine management measures. Participatory mapping addresses this gap by placing local knowledge, priorities and perspectives at the centre of marine spatial planning processes.
At CORDIO, we’ve been working with coastal communities in the Shimoni-Vanga seascape to map what matters to them: their fishing grounds, livelihoods, and deep connections to the sea. These maps are more than just drawings. They are powerful impressions that provide communities with visibility and a meaningful role in decision-making processes that shape the future of marine resources.
Here is a look at how participatory mapping is unfolding on the ground and why it is transforming the way we manage marine resources. This work has been supported by funding by the International Climate Initiative, through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in a project aimed at developing a mechanism for effective transboundary, participatory and sustainable management of marine and coastal
resources in the border regions of Kwale, Kenya and Tanga, Tanzania.
Why participatory mapping matters
1. Local Knowledge as a Scientific Resource
Fishers hold generations of wisdom about fish movements, spawning sites, and seasonal changes knowledge often absent from formal datasets. By documenting this through participatory mapping, we bridge critical gaps in marine science while validating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK).
2. Building Community Ownership and Trust
When communities actively shape the maps that guide resource management, they’re more likely to support conservation measures. This process fosters trust between stakeholders, from fishers to government agencies like the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
3. Conflict Mitigation and Adaptive Management
Mapping revealed overlaps between high-intensity fishing zones and protected areas (e.g., Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park and reserve), highlighting potential conflicts. These insights pave the way for adaptive strategies that balance livelihoods and conservation.
A Mapping Journey in Motion
Our approach is adaptive, collaborative, and rooted in equity. Under the IKI-GIZ project, we partnered with 160 fishers across 8 Beach Management Units (BMUs) from Vanga to Shimoni to co-create maps using:
- SeaSketch: A user-friendly GIS platform where fishers marked fishing grounds, transboundary zones, and historical sites now within MPAs.
- Hybrid Methods: While digital tools like SeaSketch were central, we complemented them with hand-drawn sketches and group discussions to include less tech-savvy participants.
- Ground Truthing: Upcoming vessel tracking and manual validation (via community-guided boat surveys) will refine map accuracy.
So far, the process has generated:
- Spatial Hotspots of Fishing Activity: Kernel density maps reveal high-use zones near Kibuyuni, Wasini, and Shimoni, informing targeted management.
- Transboundary Insights: Maps captured shared fishing grounds between Kenya and Tanzania, underscoring the need for cross-border cooperation.
Photos from mapping exercises at different sites.
Key lessons learned from this exercise are that technology, while invaluable, must be inclusive to be effective. Although tools like SeaSketch streamlined the mapping process, some fishers required hands-on support, highlighting the importance of hybrid methods that combine digital platforms with analog engagement to ensure equitable participation. Trust-building also emerged as a critical factor; sustained, repeated engagements were necessary to foster genuine relationships and ensure that historically marginalized voices—particularly those of women—were acknowledged and integrated into the process. Additionally, the importance of ground-truthing cannot be overstated. Preliminary maps serve as useful starting points, but their validity and relevance are greatly enhanced through real-world verification and continuous community feedback.
The significance of participatory marine spatial activities cannot be emphasized enough. Community-generated maps are not merely technical outputs—they are tools for advocacy, empowerment and action. In centering local knowledge, we are informing zoning decisions, distinguishing between areas suitable for sustainable fishing and those requiring conservation. This approach also amplifies the perspectives of informal fishers, ensuring that policy decisions reflect the realities of those most affected. Perhaps most importantly, it offers a replicable model for other regions across the Western Indian Ocean, where persistent data and equity gaps call for inclusive, community-led solutions.
