Illegal fishing is drastically reducing contribution of the Fisheries Sector’s contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 80 per cent, stakeholders in Tanzania’s second largest employment sector have said.They warned illegal fishing would cause unemployment to over 40,000 people and seriously affect the country’s tourism industry and the overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Bugomba Kimasa, Fisheries Officer from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, said mid this week that the use of explosives and poison in fishing was threatening the sector.
However, he said overall, the fisheries sector growth will improve from the current 4.5 per cent annually to at least seven per cent, adding that fisheries contribution to the GDP would increase from the current1 0.2% per annum to five per cent per annum;
Generally, there would be an increase in annual government revenue from Sh6.58 billion to Sh12 billion, which represents an increase in fish production from the current estimates of 350,300 metric tonnes to about 450,000 metric tones.
According to Kimasa, around four million people are in danger of losing jobs in fishing and tourism sectors due to illegal fishing in the Indian Ocean and the country’s lakes.
Kimasa was giving training to Beach Management Unity (BMU) around Kimbiji Ward in Kigamboni, organized by a non -governmental organization of Youth Visions of Kigamboni (YVK) and sponsored by Mazingira Network of Tanzania (MANET).
Because of the illegal activities, the Indian Ocean eco-system and the environment in general had been seriously damaged leading to the disappearance of living organisms. “Many people, around four million, depend on the sector to satisfy their daily needs… will lose the opportunity, if we will not take effective measures.”
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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