Mafia Island's Fishing Communities and Marine Conservation

Long before it became known for whale sharks and diving, Mafia Island was, and remains, home to fishing communities whose livelihoods depend on the same reefs now protected by the Mafia Island Marine Park. The park works with local villages on sustainable fishing practices, aiming to protect reef health without displacing the communities who have relied on the sea for generations. Visitors can see this balance directly: traditional outrigger canoes still work the shallows each morning, often in sight of the dive boats heading out to the same reefs.