Policy and stakeholder analysis to inform advocacy on drowning reduction among fishers in southern Lake Victoria, Tanzania: Report

Drowning is a significant risk in fishing communities in Lake Victoria, East Africa. In the southern part of the lake, within the United Republic of Tanzania (URT), the incidence of fatal drowning is estimated at 217 people per 100,000 person-years, far exceeding the estimated national average incidence (Sarassett et al. 2019; Whitworth et al. 2019). This study aimed to identify major stakeholders and potential approaches to drowning reduction advocacy for small-scale and artisanal fishers in southern Lake Victoria. Four key research questions were the focus of the study: a. Who are the main individual and institutional actors affecting or affected by changes in drowning policies or practices related to fishers in southern Lake Victoria? b. What is the existing policy and regulatory framework governing safety on the lake for fishers in southern Lake Victoria? c. Why have efforts to increase lake safety among fishers in southern Lake Victoria been successful or unsuccessful? d. How could current and potential stakeholders become more engaged in advocacy and agenda-setting to reduce fisher drowning in southern Lake Victoria? Research methods consisted of: • Review of 18 national acts, rules, regulations, policies and plans and 20 international agreements and voluntary guidance documents that are relevant to fisher water safety and drowning reduction in southern Lake Victoria, Tanzania; • 31 semi-structured in-depth interviews primarily conducted with government officers who work directly with the fisheries industry (i.e. shipping/transport, fisheries, or police) from the local to national levels; and • 8 focus group discussions primarily conducted with fishers and fishing community leaders in four villages in southern Lake Victoria. Results: Currently the main water safety stakeholders affecting or affected by drowning-related policies and practices in southern Lake Victoria are: small-scale fishers and their families; boat owners and builders; Beach Management Units (BMUs) and other local leaders; and Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC), fisheries, and marine police officers; and the East African Community (EAC), e.g. the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC). Strengths of the national policy and regulatory framework are: active collaboration between the fisheries, transport, and police sectors; the meteorology sector is becoming stronger; the fisheries and shipping sectors generally have clear policies, rules, and regulations; the health and labour sectors have broadly relevant policies; and the youth sector has a specifically relevant policy. Weaknesses and gaps are that there is no national water safety plan or strategy, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO 2017; WHO 2018); few national documents directly address water safety among fishers on inland waters; and there is little attention to fisher water safety education and training needs. • Strengths of the international policy and regulatory framework include the planned LVMCT Project, the ratified SADC protocols, and the detailed, voluntary guidance on fisher water safety from international bodies within which the URT is a member. • Weaknesses and gaps are that many of the international fisheries documents do not address small-scale fishers in inland waters, and very few relevant international Conventions have been ratified by the URT.