Why Tanzania plans to ban fishing on Lake Tanganyika

Dar es Salaam. The government said yesterday that the plan to suspend fishing activities in Lake Tanganyika for three months is meant to raise  fish population in Africa’s deepest lake and not otherwise.

Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development, Abdallah Hamis Ulega said this yesterday when he visited Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) headquarters at Tabata Relini, Dar es Salaam.

His remarks come after a number of MPs strongly opposed the move when debating the fisheries ministry budget in Parliament last week.

Mr Ulega told the Parliament last week the government would suspend fishing activities in Lake Tanganyika for three months starting May 15, 2023.

The decision, he said, was in agreement with other countries that share Lake Tanganyika waters with Tanzania, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, and Burundi, and that it was a deliberate move to give room to raise the fish population after years of overfishing.

Those who spoke against the move included Sylvia Sigula (Special Seats –CCM), Ms Aida Kenan (Nkasi North - Chadema) and Tabasamu Hamisi Hussein (Sengerema - CCM) among others.

Ms Sigula said she available information showed that some of the countries which agreed on the decision have already backed down after realising that the decision could have some far-reaching economic ramifications on their people.

But yesterday Mr Ulega said he had a meeting with his colleagues at the ministry where they saw the importance of educating the citizens before imposing the fishing ban.

“We realized that the information was delivered without according the citizens an opportunity to understand the importance of suspending fishing activities in the lake,” said Ulega.

He said, he had already met with the Regional Commissioners, District Commissioners and some executive directors of some districts in Kigoma, Rukwa and Katavi regions over the matter. The meeting aimed at discussing and coming out with the best way to implement the campaign in their areas.

“Suspending fishing activities in Lake Tanganyika is in line with the protocol for the management of the lake as adopted by Tanzania, the DRC, Burundi and Zambia…,” he said.

He said the involvement of leaders at district and regional levels would allow the citizens to understand the government’s good intentions for its people.

“Suspending fishing activities in the Lake is as well for the benefit of the people as they will be able to get more fish once the activities reopen,” he said, citing at how suspension of fishing activities at Kilwa and Mafia in the Indian Ocean has yielded positive results.

He said, through a meeting with Parliamentarians they insisted on collecting views of the citizens on how fishing activities should be strengthened. The raising awareness campaign will address this suggestion.

Responding on how the government is prepared to address challenges of quality issues and security at the lake, the minister he said plans are in the pipeline to make sure the blue economy strategy materialises as planned.

Previously, the minister was quoted as saying that the ban on fishing activities was to start mid this month towards mid-August this year to allow fish breeding.

During the meeting at MCL, Mr Ulenga also detailed a number of initiatives that his ministry would undertake to boost the role of the fisheries and livestock subsectors in Tanzania’s economy.