Overview
Tanzania has a total surface area of 945,037 sq. km. The area of freshwater cover is estimated at 54,337 sq. km., which is about 6.1 percent of the total country’s surface area. The country has a Territorial Sea of 64,000 sq. km., an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covering an area of about 223,000 sq. km. and a stretch of a coastline of about 1,424 km long all in the Indian Ocean, and other inland water bodies (major and minor lakes, rivers, dams, ponds and wetlands), covering about 5,000 sq. km. The country shares three major inland lakes: Lake Victoria (shared with Kenya and Uganda), Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, DRC and Zambia) and Lake Nyasa (shared with Malawi and Mozambique).

Quick Facts

• Tanzania is one of the largest fishing nations in Africa, according to FAO; it is ranked in the top 10 countries in terms of total capture fisheries production.
• The annual fish production is about 341,065 tons. In addition, the sector contributed about 1.4 percent to the GDP (National Statistics Bureau; 2010) and 10 percent to the national foreign exchange earnings.
• The sector employs more than 177,527 full time fishermen and about other 4 million people earn their livelihoods from the fisheries sector (Fisheries Statistics, 2011).
• For the years 2005 – 2010, fish and fishery products exports from Tanzania earned the country US$ 195.2 million per annum.
• The country shares three major inland lakes: Lake Victoria (shared with Kenya and Uganda), Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, DRC and Zambia) and Lake Nyasa (shared with Malawi and Mozambique).

Available Opportunities

• Establishment of fishing port and fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone,
• Establishing fish processing plants and modern fishing boat building yards.
• Establishment of dry docking and eco-tourism facilities.
• Around 3000 hectares suitable for shrimp farming in Mafia Island.
• Establishment of commercial fish cage culture in both marine and freshwater areas
• Cultured species including: Mud crabs, Oysters, Grouper and Scallops for mariculture
• Fresh water species including : Tilapias, African Catfish , Rainbow Trout and Freshwater prawns
• Production of formulated fish feeds and live fish food(eg. Earthworms)
• deep sea fishing, fish processing,
• Value addition in fish and other fisheries products, cold chain, , manufacturing of fishing gear and accessories.
• Other areas include prawn/shrimp farming, mud-crab farming, pearl culture, seaweed farming, hatchery for fingerlings production,
• Fishing and culture of ornamental fish, fish feeds production and live fish food production.

For more information about Fishing sector, please click here