The destruction of coral reef habitat in turn threatens the harvest from the sea and the future well being of Tanga coastal communities. Although national regulations outlawing destructive fishing practices exist, they have not been enforced due to the currently limited surveillance and enforcement capacity of the government. This led the Tanzanian government to launch an innovative community-based coastal management programme which emphasizes collaboration between local communities and local and national authorities. With the support of local officials, three pilot villages created committees to deal with destructive fishing, the increasing demand for fish, and the increasing numbers of fishers in the area. After two community-wide workshops, the committees have developed action plans that control types of fishing and close off parts of reefs to harvesting.
Village elders inspect fishing gear and the fish for sale in local markets.
There are also patrols against fishermen using dynamite. Efforts in the three pilot villages have proved so effective that fish landings have increased, and more villages have come forward wanting to enter the programme. Although this trade is tiny compared to the trade in food fish and other products derived from living marine resources, it is a high-profile trade due to the exotic nature of its product. In order to create appropriate habitat in tropical marine aquariums, live coral is collected by breaking pieces off of the reef. As a result of the marine aquarium trade, coral sustains indirect damage during the capture of marine ornamentals, and direct damage through the harvest of live coral.