Ukombe Island (Kisiwa cha Ukombe, in Swahili) is a protected island located in Dimani ward of Mjini District in Mjini Magharibi Region, Tanzania. The island is part of the Menai Bay Marine Conservation Area.[1][2]

Ukombe Island
Bird's eye view of Ukombe Island of Zanzibar
Ukombe Island is located in Tanzania
Ukombe Island
Ukombe Island
Geography
LocationZanzibar Channel
Coordinates06°17′31″S 39°13′27″E / 6.29194°S 39.22417°E / -6.29194; 39.22417
ArchipelagoZanzibar Archipelago
Adjacent toIndian Ocean
Length1.0 km (0.62 mi)
Width0.8 km (0.5 mi)
Administration
RegionMjini Magharibi Region
DistrictMjini
WardDimani
Demographics
LanguagesSwahili
Ethnic groupsHadimu

Despite being a marine sanctuary, the island's reefs have been threatened by fishermen using sharp iron rods, known as umangu, to catch octopuses, which destroys coral reefs. Since there are no laws governing the harvesting of wild bivalves, anyone can gather bivalves of any size. The inhabitants of Fumba have also identified since netting near the sand banks of islands like Pungume, Kwale, and Ukombe as a threat to biodiversity, even though this practice is carried out secretly.[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ Eriksson, Hampus, Maricela de la Torre-Castro, and Per Olsson. "Mobility, expansion and management of a multi-species scuba diving fishery in East Africa." PLOS one 7.4 (2012): e35504.
  2. ^ "Ukombe Island overview".
  3. ^ Torell, Elin, et al. "Tanzania biodiversity threats assessment: Biodiversity threats and management opportunities for Fumba." Bagamoyo, and Mkuranga, Coastal Resources Center, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett (2007): 47.
  4. ^ Plass-Johnson, Jeremiah G., Christopher D. McQuaid, and Jaclyn M. Hill. "Morphologically similar, coexisting hard corals (Porites lobata and P. solida) display similar trophic isotopic ratios across reefs and depths." Marine and Freshwater Research 67.5 (2015): 671-676.