Tanzania’s battle at sea against foreign fishing vessels

On board, authorities discovered 293 tonnes of allegedly illegally caught fish.

The case, widely known as the “Magufuli Fish Case,” ended in stiff penalties. Two men were convicted of unlawful fishing and fined Sh1 billion each—or faced 10 years in prison.

One of the convicts, Tai, was also found guilty of polluting Tanzanian waters by dumping fish waste and discharging oil, resulting in an additional Sh20 billion fine or another 10-year sentence if unpaid.

Although the sentence was later overturned, the scale of the crime shocked many. Yet, for those monitoring Tanzanian waters, this was no isolated incident.

A sea of lost wealth

Tanzania’s EEZ spans more than 223,000 square kilometres and is rich in tuna, sharks, and other high-value species. But this wealth has drawn numerous foreign vessels, many of which fish illegally.

An estimated 50 to 100 foreign commercial fishing vessels operate in Tanzanian waters annually—frequently without licences or while grossly underreporting their catches.

A 2020 study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) estimates that Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the broader Southwest Indian Ocean—of which Tanzania is part—costs the region a staggering $142.8 million annually.

For Tanzania alone, IUU fishing is estimated to result in annual losses of $42 million to $85 million—funds that could be used to build schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure.

The impact also extends to food security, employment, and biodiversity.

Tanzania is not alone. Namibia, for example, loses an estimated N$1.5 billion (approximately $83.7 million) annually due to IUU fishing, according to the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations (CNFA).

These figures highlight the regional scale—and severity—of the problem.

The damage is not only financial. Illegal fishing depletes crucial fish stocks, putting immense pressure on coastal communities.

More than four million Tanzanians depend directly or indirectly on fisheries for their livelihoods.

When foreign vessels sweep the ocean clean, it is small-scale fishers—the backbone of coastal economies—who suffer the most.

Pollution from illegal vessels further threatens marine ecosystems. In the Magufuli Fish Case, for example, fish waste and oil were discharged into Tanzanian waters, compounding the environmental damage.

Last week, the country witnessed another alarming incident: hundreds of dolphins were stranded along Vumawimbi Beach in Micheweni District, Pemba North Region, after reportedly losing their sense of direction.

Authorities attributed the mass stranding to noise pollution from fishing vessels and unusually warm waters.

Although marine rangers from the Fisheries and Blue Economy Ministry managed to guide around 400 dolphins back into deeper waters, seven died.

Technology and regional cooperation

The Deep Sea Fishing Authority (DSFA) Director General, Dr Emmanuel Sweke, acknowledges Tanzania’s past challenges but insists that significant progress has been made.

“We cannot run away from our past, but a lot has been done to eradicate illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing in our waters,” he said.

Since 2014, the DSFA has focused on building capacity and strengthening collaboration with other enforcement agencies, including the Police Marine Unit, Anti-Narcotics Bureau, Navy, and KMKM (the Zanzibar Maritime Forces).

Tanzania now employs a universal monitoring system that tracks Tanzania-flagged ships operating within its waters.

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracks all ships transiting through Tanzanian territory.

Since 2016–17, the country has also conducted aerial patrols—flying at least 12 hours per month—to verify that data from the monitoring systems aligns with on-the-ground realities.

Tanzania also conducts joint regional patrols every two months, working with countries such as Kenya, Mozambique, Mauritius, the Comoros, and Seychelles.

“These efforts have yielded results. In 2021, for instance, Tanzanian authorities impounded a vessel loaded with narcotics,” he told The Citizen over the phone.

Dr Sweke is, however, candid about the ongoing challenges. “No country can say it has complete control over illegal fishing. Sometimes the perpetrators are nationals,” he added.

Despite the difficulties, Tanzania continues to tighten its enforcement. In the financial year ending June 2025, 53 fishing vessels were licensed to operate in Tanzanian deep-sea waters—a move aimed at formalising the sector and increasing government revenue.

The path forward

Experts believe Tanzania stands to gain significantly from improved maritime surveillance.

According to the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission, strict enforcement of licensing regulations could yield an additional $16.3 million to $21.6 million annually in licence fees, fines, and penalties.

But the benefits of better control go beyond immediate revenue. A well-developed Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) strategy could help transform Tanzania’s marine future.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), reducing IUU fishing by just 40 percent could recover up to $88 million in lost revenues every year.

Improved tracking and tracing of foreign vessels would also enable Tanzania to confidently issue high-value commercial fishing licences—potentially worth up to $20 million annually—thanks to the richness of its deep-sea fisheries.

More effective monitoring would also preserve marine ecosystems and help secure food supplies for future generations, reducing reliance on costly seafood imports.

Importantly, robust enforcement measures—such as satellite tracking systems, onboard observers, and port inspections—could cut illegal fishing by as much as 50 percent, according to global studies.

Efforts are also underway to empower local communities, strengthening Beach Management Units (BMUs) with digital tools, and training is seen as a promising approach to turning local fishers into frontline guardians of the nation’s marine resources.

Vigilance remains key

“Every tonne of fish stolen from our waters is money taken from Tanzanian pockets,” one fisheries official remarked, adding: “This is not just an environmental issue—it’s economic sabotage.”

As Tanzania advances its blue economy ambitions, the message is clear: protecting the country’s marine wealth is not optional.

It is a national imperative—for the economy, the environment, and the millions whose lives are tied to the sea.