According to the European Union there are some 70 ships operating illegally, targeting tuna, kingfish, lobsters and prawns. It is said that one of the ships reportedly does not even have a licence, despite the newly introduced regulations by the ministry of natural resources and tourism aimed at protecting Tanzania`s dwindling fish stocks.
During the recent session of the National Assembly the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries John Magufuli declared that the Government will continue to fight relentless illegal fishing and unsustainable fishing practices. He assured that the government would use military vessels to curb illegal fishing by foreign firms.
Analysts believe that the war against illegal fishing and unsustainable fishing practices must be undertaken concurrently with the fight against blast fishing and bad agriculture which destroy coral reefs. It is said that the protected areas can be valuable management tools to balance the effects of exploitation elsewhere and improve fishing yields nearby, but these require good planning and adequate resources for maintenance.
It is fact that the illegal fishing method, which is rampant along the whole of Tanzania`s coast line, destroys fish breeding sites whether they are located in deep or shallow waters. Director of Fisheries in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism“, Geophrey Nanyaro informed that beach Management Units (BMU) are doing their best to fight the crime but the problem is growing out of proportion. He added that they now need collective efforts to deal with the crime instead of leaving it to only certain sectors.
