The big blue octopus, Octopus cyanea (Gray 1849) is heavily fished in Zanzibar coastal waters, yet several aspects of its biology remain unstudied in the area. The reproductive biology of O. cyanea (Gray 1849) was investigated, including sex ratios, length-weight relationships, size at maturity, and seasonal variation in maturity and spawning activity. Sampling of specimens caught by local fishers was conducted monthly at four...

Introduction Coral reefs as key ecosystems in Zanzibar are exposed to several anthropogenic and natural stressors. Methods The benthic composition and coverage of coral reefs were investigated on three data sets involving ten coral reefs monitored from 1992 to 2016. Firstly, we investigated differences in the reef composition using data from seven reefs in 2015. Secondly, we analyzed communities on three distinctive reefs (201...

The octopus fishery in Zanzibar is an essential activity of coastal communities. To assist with developing fisheries management plans, baseline information on the feeding of Octopus cyanea (Gray, 1849) was collected in relation to sex and maturity stages. The feeding habits and diet composition of 543 O. cyanea were studied over a period of 12 months at Paje, Kizimkazi, Chwaka Bay and Nungwi. Samples at each site were collecte...

Marine conservation areas are an important tool for the sustainable management of multispecies, small-scale fisheries. Effective spatial management requires a proper understanding of the spatial distribution of target species and the identification of its environmental drivers. Small-scale fisheries, however, often face scarcity and low-quality of data. In these situations, approaches for the prioritization of conservation are...