Title: Role of beach management units in implementing fisheries policy: A case study of two BMUs in Lake Victoria, Tanzania

The change in Lake Victoria fisheries management from centralized to co-management was to address challenges posed by the former management system. This led to the establishment of Beach Management Units (BMUs) a fishers’ association. However, declining fish stocks and claims of poverty within fisheries communities raises concerns about the impacts of co-management in implementation of fisheries policy. This study addresses these concerns by examining the specific functions and activities of Beach Management Units (BMUs) that are related to regulating fisheries and poverty reduction among the fishers’ communities using data collected from two BMUs in Lake Victoria Mwanza, Tanzania. Findings reveal that BMUs have formulated regulatory measures to manage the fishery but have been ineffective in implementing some of the measures. On the other hand, BMUs have no poverty eradication schemes and lack skills and expertise to tackle the challenges posed by poverty. The inability of the BMUs to tackle these challenges threatens the sustainability of the fisheries given that most riparian communities entirely depend on the resources for their livelihood.