Govt to plug fish-gap

• New fishing port among priorities in ministry’s 433.4bn/- budget plan

DODOMA: THE government is focused to expanding fisheries infrastructure and boosting aquaculture to bridge a massive annual fish deficit of over 700,000 tonnes, despite recording a historic 4.9 tri/- harvest during the current financial year 3.38bn/- budget estimates for the 2026/27 fiscal year in parliament yesterday, the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Dr. Bashiru Ally Kakurwa, outlined strategic interventions aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in the sector.

Dr. Bashiru revealed that while domestic fish production rose by 7.4 per cent to 526,763 tonnes this year—up from 490,372 tonnes valued at 3.12 trillion/- in the previous fiscal year—it remains short of a surging national annual demand that averages 1,254,000 tonnes.

To aggressively narrow this supply gap, the ministry is anchoring its next budget on transformative megaprojects across the country’s coastlines and inland waters.

Key among the ministry’s interventions is the fast-tracked completion of the Kilwa Masoko Fishing Port, alongside a new feasibility study for a proposed fishing port in Bagamoyo.

The government also plans to construct additional modern fish markets and landing sites across the country to curb post-harvest losses.

“The government has continued implementing robust measures aimed at increasing fish production and narrowing the supply gap,”

Dr Bashiru told lawmakers, citing a crackdown on illegal fishing, promotion of deep-sea investments and enhanced conservation of natural water bodies.

Beyond fisheries, the minister outlined 19 strategic activities for the next fiscal year, including improving dairy and beef cattle breeds, intensifying livestock disease control and expanding cross-border markets for both animal and marine products.

Amid the domestic fish deficit, the minister shared a major victory on the continental stage, confirming that Tanzania continues to lead Africa in seaweed production.

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By April 2026, seaweed output surged by 49.5 per cent to reach 132,479 tonnes, valued at 13.91 bn/-, compared to 88,615 tonnes in the previous financial year.

Dr Bashiru credited this boom to targeted government inputs and improved international market access for coastal farmers.

Meanwhile, the livestock sector continues to anchor the rural economy, contributing 6.2 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with a 5.0 per cent growth rate.

Over 6.5 million Tanzanian households currently depend on livestock keeping. Parliamentary Pushback Reacting to the budget speech, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industry, Trade, Agriculture and Livestock Affairs urged the government to move faster to protect local processing.

Committee member Kenneth Nollo called for an immediate easing of the “burdensome taxes and levies” crippling domestic milk processing industries.

He also pressed the ministry to urgently recruit more livestock extension officers and enforce the Livestock Identification, Registration and Traceability Act to control disease outbreaks and minimise persistent conflicts between pastoralists and other land users