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As part of Nekton’s First Descent: Comoros mission, the people of these islands, from fishers to researchers, are sharing their stories of connection, resilience, and hope for the ocean’s future.
Across the Comoros, the ocean is more than a source of food – it’s the heart of daily life, culture, and hope for the future. Despite mounting challenges from overfishing, coastal erosion, and climate change, communities here are uniting to restore and protect the ecosystems that sustain them.
“The foundation of everything we do begins in the villages,” says Bouchourane Aoussidine, President of the National Fishers’ Union. “Village cooperatives and associations come together at the regional and then national level. We even have a WhatsApp platform that brings together fishers from across all the islands. If a problem arises on one island, we discuss it collegially to find a solution.”
This cooperative model is more than coordination, it’s an act of collective stewardship. The Comorian fishers’ network is helping to share knowledge, restore habitats, and reimagine how communities can co-manage their own marine resources.
He points to decades of change along the coasts. “Our main concern is not that species are disappearing, it’s that we no longer find them near our shores. Over the last 50 years, sand extraction and destructive fishing have changed the ecosystem.”
He recalls how removing sand has stripped beaches down to bare rock:
“We learned that sand plays an important role in the fertilisation of eggs, particularly for rock fish. The intensive use of mosquito nets and mining nets has destroyed the coastline ecosystem – fish no longer find anything to eat and move 15 or 20 km offshore. Today, we must go 100 km to find fish.”
Bouchourane believes the path forward lies in rehabilitation and co-management.
“We know that fish are multiplying, but if human pressure increases without thinking about their preservation, they will slowly disappear”
We need to restore ecosystems, establish alternating fishing periods, and create permanent reserves - to allow the sand to regenerate and the reefs to recover.
At Coelacanth National Park, eco-guards play a crucial role in protecting one of the planet’s most ancient species, the coelacanth, alongside mangroves, reefs, and nesting grounds.
“There are several tasks that keep us busy,” explains Nousa Issa, an eco-guard at the park. “Environmental monitoring, tracking, and education, all these activities are our responsibility. I focus on terrestrial and mangrove monitoring because I’m passionate about protecting our biodiversity, especially our heritage species like the coelacanth, a living fossil that simply asks to be protected.”
For Nousa, education is the most rewarding part of her job:
“Environmental awareness is still new here. I love teaching young children – because as they grow up, they won’t behave like previous generations. They’ll understand how to care for the environment.”
"I love teaching children - because as they grow up, they won’t behave like previous generations. They’ll understand how to care for the environment"
In the village of Maraharé, octopus fishing is more than a livelihood, it’s a community-led success story.
“First and foremost, I want to pay tribute to our association because we see the benefits,” says Fatima Ahmed, a member of the traditional octopus fishing community. “Men and women alike are catching more, improving our living conditions. This alternating fishing – opening and closing seasons – really works. When we reopen, we reap the rewards.”
The seasonal closures allow octopus populations to recover, and with them, community incomes.
“There was a time when fish became scarce, we could spend a whole day at sea and catch nothing. Now, even if we don’t have enough to sell, we can still feed our families. After the last closure, we had a great season, observers even came to see our success. That’s how the idea of a cooperative was born, to better organise ourselves and continue improving our lives.”
"This alternating fishing - opening and closing seasons - really works. When we reopen, we reap the rewards.”
For Comorian scientists, community knowledge and international research go hand in hand. Ali Said, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Comoros, studies the links between climate change and island ecosystems.
Dr Nadjim Ahmed, Co-Chief Scientist of the Nekton mission, agrees that science and collaboration are essential. “That’s why the 30×30 target is important – it helps us protect our oceans. But without international collaboration, we Comorians cannot sustain conservation alone. Cooperation with expeditions like this one helps us fight climate change and protect biodiversity.”
The sea is our wealth, that’s why it’s important for Comorians to understand it. These missions help us learn about our biodiversity and will allow future generations to know the value of our ocean.
From village cooperatives and traditional fishers to eco-guards and scientists, the Comorian people are striving for a more sustainable future; one rooted in knowledge, unity, and respect for the sea.
Their voices tell a single story: that lasting protection begins not from outside, but within.
The future of the Comoros’ ocean depends on those who have always called it home, and who now stand together to safeguard it for generations to come.
