Freshwater springs in the lagoons of Zanzibar are a unique feature of this island. Although such springs exist on many – or even most – coasts worldwide, these Zanzibarian springs can be used as a characteristic example of this phenomenon….

Coastal foraging and fishing are the foremost traditional activities people do on the coasts of Zanzibar. These activities are not restricted to this island or country but everywhere worldwide with a suitable coast. In English, coastal foragers are also called…

Ngalawa boats are extended log boats with double outriggers and lateen sails used by artisanal fishers on the East African coast. They are between 4 and 9 meters long, but most of them are somewhere in the middle between these…

Africanan blue swimming crabs (Portunus segnis) are speared by beachcombers in the lagoons of Zanzibar. These crabs, however, are not the prime target when spearing but only an opportunistic by-catch. The prime target when using spears for fishing is octopuses….

Humpbacked conch shells (Gibberulus gibberulus) are true conchs based on the type species Strombus gibberulus. In Swahili, they are called Chuale and are primarily collected by women, who use them for their family’s subsistence and cash income. They are harvested…

Large basket fish traps, with a hexagonal shape and one inverted end, are typically used in Zanzibar and are called ‘Dema’ in Swahili. These fish traps, which have a large mesh size, were initially made from palm leaves and mangrove…

Sea slugs of the taxonomic family Aplysiidae are commonly called ‘sea hares’, because when underwater, their rounded body shape and the long rhinophores on their heads resemble that of a sitting rabbit or hare. Unlike other sea slugs (nudibranchs), they…

Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) is common on most shorelines worldwide. This article focuses on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania. There, sea lettuce is used as an export article and supplementary food for humans. In addition to being collected in…

In Zanzibar, two edible red seaweed species are commonly used for food: Spinosum and Cottonii, also called ‘Elkhorn sea moss.’ Both species can be found wild in the coastal area and are also farmed intensively. In addition to these two…

The Long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus) is one of the many seafood organisms local people catch or collect at low tide in shallow waters around Zanzibar island. This fish is not specifically searched for, but it will be happily speared and…