In the Comoros, marine conservation will not succeed without fishing communities.” On 20 August 2026, the Minister of Environment made that commitment before more than 120 fishers and local authorities from all three islands, gathered at the National Fisheries School in Anjouan for a cross-island forum organised by Dahari. At its centre: the government’s pledge to recognise community-based marine management (LMMAs) in national law as part of its 30×30 approach. Fishers’ associations such as Malezi Mema, which established the country’s first permanent fisher-led no-take zone in 2021 and received the Community Impact award at the 2026 Ocean Awards, currently manage their reserves without national legal standing. Next steps are to continue supporting exchanges between fishers from the three islands and providing technical support to the government as it develops the legal framework.
Learn more about the forum here.
