Revised fishing regulations to ease fee burden on fishers
DODOMA: FISHERS across the country are set to benefit from revised fishing regulations aimed at reducing the burden of multiple fees and charges while improving management of the country’s fisheries resources.
Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Ms Ng’wasi Kamani said this in the National Assembly yesterday, while responding to a basic question from Sylvia Sigula (Special Seats, CCM), who asked when government would review the Fishing Regulations to ease the burden of multiple charges on fishers.
Ms Kamani said the Fishing Regulations of 2009 had been reviewed and amended in 2026 to reflect policy, economic, environmental and technological changes in the fishing sector.
“During the review, various fees and charges were reviewed with the aim of reducing challenges and costs for fishing stakeholders without affecting the Ministry’s responsibility to manage, conserve and develop fisheries resources,” Ms Kamani said.
She said the Ministry had also consolidated all fee-related regulations into a single framework covering fees and charges in the fishing sector.
The new regulation, known as the Fees and Charges Regulations, 2026, is at various stages of completion alongside the establishment of the Fishing Authority, she said.
In a supplementary question, Ms Sigula asked when the remaining procedures would be completed so fishers could benefit from the revised arrangements.
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Responding, Ms Kamani said the initial procedures for finalising the regulations had been completed, with the remaining step being review by the Ministry of Finance due to their financial and budgetary implications.
“Once that review is done, the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries will sign the regulations, enabling them to come into force,” she said.
Ms Kamani said the regulations were ready and would begin being implemented during the 2026/27 financial year.
The Deputy Minister also urged young people in regions bordering Lake Tanganyika, Lake Nyasa and Lake Victoria to take up loan opportunities offered by the Ministry to support fish-related projects.
She said the loans were available to Tanzanian citizens aged 18 to 35, resident in project areas, who did not have existing loans with financial institutions.
Ms Kamani called on MPs representing constituencies bordering the major lakes to encourage young people to apply for the loans and benefit from opportunities in the fisheries sector.
