Fishermen still struggle despite progress in Tanzania’s fisheries sector

TANZANIA: THE fisheries sector remains one of the key pillars of Tanzania’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, food security, trade and foreign exchange earnings. Tanzania is endowed with vast water resources, including Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa, the Indian Ocean and numerous rivers and dams. These natural assets place the country among Africa’s most resource-rich nations for fisheries and aquaculture development. According to the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, the sector contributes more than 1.8 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supports the livelihoods of over four million Tanzanians engaged directly and indirectly in fishing, fish processing, transportation and trade. Over recent years, the Sixth phase government under the leadership of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has intensified efforts to strengthen the sector through measures aimed at combating illegal fishing, improving aquatic resource management, constructing fish market infrastructure and promoting investment in aquaculture. These interventions have contributed to increased fish production and improved sustainability of fisheries resources. However, despite such achievements, many small-scale fishers continue to face serious challenges that limit their ability to benefit fully from the country’s abundant aquatic resources. One of the most pressing concerns is safety on lakes and at sea. Every year, fishermen lose their lives in drowning incidents caused by strong winds, rough waters, poorly equipped vessels and inadequate safety gear. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, accounting for seven per cent of all injury-related fatalities. WHO reports that 92 per cent of drownings occur in low- and middleincome countries, where drowning rates are significantly higher than in wealthier nations. Many Tanzanian fishers cannot afford basic protective equipment such as life jackets, emergency communication devices and weathermonitoring tools. The absence of comprehensive national data on fisher-related drowning incidents further complicates efforts to assess the scale of the problem and formulate effective interventions. Fishing therefore remains one of the country’s most hazardous occupations. Another major challenge is the lack of insurance coverage. Unlike workers in the formal sector who benefit from social security and health insurance schemes, most fishers operate without protection against accidents, disability, loss of equipment, or death. When boats are damaged, fishing gear is lost, or fishers suffer injuries, families often fall into severe financial hardship due to the absence of compensation mechanisms or emergency support systems. This highlights the urgent need for government institutions, financial service providers and insurance companies to develop affordable insurance products specifically tailored to the needs of small-scale fishers. Market access remains another significant obstacle. Many fishers are forced to sell their catch at low prices because of inadequate storage and preservation facilities. The shortage of cold rooms, fish processing centres and modern warehouses frequently leads to spoilage, particularly in remote fishing communities. As a result, traders and middlemen often dictate prices, leaving fishers with limited bargaining power. In many cases, a large share of the profits generated along the fisheries value chain ends up in the hands of intermediaries rather than the fishers who undertake the difficult and risky work of harvesting fish. Although Tanzania’s fisheries policies seek to promote sustainable resource utilisation, increase production, strengthen food security and enhance the sector’s contribution to the economy, implementation gaps remain. For many years, policy efforts have focused primarily on resource management and revenue generation, while comparatively less attention has been paid to improving the welfare and livelihoods of fishers. The Executive Director of the Fisheries Union Organisation (FUO), Juvenali Matagiri, says that despite government efforts to develop the sector, many fishers continue to face persistent challenges that prevent fisheries from contributing fully to economic growth and public welfare. He notes that illegal fishing remains a serious threat due to the continued use of prohibited gear, substandard nets and the harvesting of immature fish, all of which contribute to declining fish stocks and destruction of breeding grounds. Mr Matagiri also points to environmental pollution in Lake Victoria caused by plastic waste, agricultural chemicals and urban sewage as a growing threat to fish production and the ecosystem. He urges the government to ensure direct representation of fishers in high-level fisheries advisory bodies so their co