Mnemba Island - Mnemba Island's Wildlife and Ecology

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PEMBA ISLAND SAFARIS


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PEMBA FISHING
The Pemba Channel is widely known, and is considered one of the world's best places for fishing.The Pemba Channel itself is Africa's premier marlin destination. Striped, black and blue marlin, broadbill, mako, sailfish, tiger and other sharks, dorado, wahoo, yellowfin tuna and many other game fish are all to be found in her azure waters.

Some of the game you are likely to encounter in Pemba's prolific waters include:

STRIPED MARLIN
Striped Marlin are the most prolific of the Marlin and they seasonally migrate through the natural corridor between Pemba Island and the mainland. The Striped Marlin is well-known for its fighting ability and is renowned for its speed and acrobatic displays. It has a reputation for spending more time in the air than in the water just after it is hooked. The prime Marlin season runs from mid November to end of March.

BLACK MARLIN
This Marlin has tremendous power, and is known for its long runs and tail walking. Black Marlin are generally larger than other Marlin and have short, heavy bodies with the fins virtually locked in position. Black Marlin have been caught weighing over 2000lb by commercial fishermen. The Black Marlin is noted as a violent feeder at the top of the food chain and feeds on other game fish and small bait fish.

BLUE MARLIN
The Blue Marlin is the largest of the Marlin family. It is a more streamlined version of the Black Marlin. The Blue is a powerful aggressive fighter, known for its impressive athletic abilities on the surface, clearing the water time and time again. They run hard and long, and leap high into the air in a seemingly inexhaustible display of strength, although they are prone to going deep to conserve their energy.

BROADBILL
The Broadbill is know as the 'Gladiator of the Sea' due to its reputation as being the toughest of all the billfish, and is also considered by many to be the toughest to catch - the ultimate challenge in big game fishing. Characteristically, it has a smooth, very broad, flattened sword (broadbill) that is significantly longer and wider than the bill of any other billfish. They are deep-water predators and are known to go to depths of at least 550m. The Pemba Channel is perhaps the premier destination for Broadbill fishing. Broadbill can be found all year round but the best times are in October, November and March when the seas are very calm.

SAILFISH
The Sailfish is one of the most strikingly colourful game fish of all - its outstanding feature is the long, high first dorsal which is slate or cobalt blue in colour with a scattering of black spots. Its body is dark blue and silver and lights up with white dots and lines of electric blue. They are a migratory species usually travelling alone or in small groups. For fly-fishermen who are trying big game fishing on fly for the first time the Sailfish is the perfect species to try your luck.

TUNA
From August we begin to see large numbers of migrating Yellowfin Tuna, which are one of the strongest fish and can put up a challenging fight. These swift, sleek marauders of the worlds' oceans can be picked out from their close relatives by their bright yellow finlets and belly, which sometimes show a series of about 20 vertical rows of whitish spots. August to October provides excellent sport for Tuna.

TIGER SHARK
Born at a size of 50 - 75cms with a beautiful silvery pattern of leopard like spots, which change to bars as they grow and fade as they mature. Mature Tiger Sharks become very stout. They may be resident in certain areas, but in general they are wanderers. They tend to stay in deeper water by day and enter shallow waters at night.

MAKO SHARK
Mako's are torpedo shaped and are the speed kings of the cartilaginous fish and possibly the fastest fish in the ocean - measurements as high as 100kph (60mph) have been reported. When hooked they may jump to a height of several body lengths out of the water. They are able to chase down and consume fast moving pelagics, such as Tuna and Broadbill. Their ability to reach such phenomenal speeds may be attributed to a blood vessel heat exchange system, which enable them to maintain a body temperature higher than the surrounding sea water.