Govt mandates coordinated fisheries projects to prevent overlap

TANGA: THE government has directed all development stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the fisheries sector, to submit accurate and detailed project plans before implementation, to ensure proper coordination and avoid duplication of efforts.

The directive was issued by Dr Baraka Sekadende, Acting Director for Fisheries Resource Development at the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, during the opening of a stakeholders’ meeting on alternative livelihoods and marine value chains in Tanga on Tuesday.

Organised by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the meeting brought together partners engaging in marine and coastal conservation and development initiatives. Dr Sekadende warned that uncoordinated implementation of similar projects in the same areas by multiple stakeholders leads to a waste of both human and financial resources.

“Submitting project plans in advance will help prevent overlaps—where more than one organisation implements the same activity in a single location. It also enables alignment with national development strategies and enhances the impact of interventions,” he said.

He commended WCS for organising the meeting, noting that the ministry had also intended to convene such a platform to foster coordination among stakeholders supporting fishing communities.

Dr Sekadende underscored the importance of the fisheries sector to Tanzania’s economy, pointing out that it employs nearly six million people. This includes over 200,000 artisanal fishers and more than 49,000 aquaculture farmers across the fisheries value chain.

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In 2024 alone, Tanzania recorded a fish harvest of 522,788.33 metric tonnes from natural water bodies, valued at 4.35tri/-. Of this amount, 63,988.76 tonnes—representing 12.24 per cent—came from the Indian Ocean.

Despite the achievement, he expressed concern over the relatively low marine harvest, given the country’s abundant marine resources.

Dr Sekadende cited several challenges limiting the sector’s growth, including illegal fishing, smuggling of fish products, inadequate infrastructure, limited raw materials for fish processing, low public awareness and underperforming Beach Management Units (BMUs).

He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with stakeholders and fishing communities to address these challenges, adding that sustainable fisheries management is essential to improving livelihoods and driving national development.

Dr Sekadende also applauded WCS’s efforts in promoting environmentally sustainable livelihoods among coastal communities, calling it a model for how NGOs can support both people and nature.

According to WCS Regional Coordinator Dr Johnson Mshana, the stakeholder workshop aims to enhance coastal livelihoods and promote marine-based value addition as part of ongoing efforts to build climate resilience in the Pemba Channel. The one-day Livelihood and Value Addition Stakeholder Mapping Workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

“The event brings together key actors from government, civil society, community-based organisations and the private sector working within fisheries and marine value chains,” Dr Mshana explained.

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The forum is held under WCS’s four-year Blue Action Fund (BAF) project titled “Strengthening the Network of Climate-Resilient Ecosystems across the Pemba Channel Coral Reef Climate Refuge.” The BAF project seeks to enhance ecosystem and community resilience to climate change by reducing reliance on fishing, improving the management and financing of marine protected areas (MPAs), and promoting habitat restoration and nature-based solutions. “This workshop is a crucial step in ensuring that stakeholders are aware of one another’s operations, focus areas and methodologies,” said Dr Mshana.

He added that mapping the institutional landscape will improve collaboration, expose overlaps and gaps and lead to more coherent and impactful interventions. Participants are expected to discuss practical strategies and shared challenges in developing alternative livelihoods and enhancing value addition in coastal areas.

“These deliberations will inform WCS’s future work under the BAF project, especially initiatives aimed at improving local livelihoods and boosting economic resilience,” Dr Mshana said.

The Pemba Channel, known for its rich biodiversity and coral reefs, is facing increasing pressure from climate change and overfishing.

Funded by the Blue Action Fund, the project is part of a broader effort to conserve marine ecosystems while supporting sustainable development in coastal communities.

Tanga Regional Community Development Officer, Ms Glory Maleo, urged other NGOs to emulate WCS’s transparent, diligent and community-centred approach, which she said exemplifies a genuine commitment to building resilience in coastal populations.