The Fisheries Education and Training Agency (FETA) has been called upon to significantly scale up the production of fish fingerlings in response to growing demand driven by the rapid expansion of aquaculture across Tanzania.
The directive was issued by the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Edwin Mhede, during an inspection visit to FETA’s main campus at Mbegani in Bagamoyo District. The visit focused on assessing training programmes, aquaculture activities and learning infrastructure at the institution.
Dr Mhede acknowledged the progress made by FETA in fish breeding and aquaculture training but emphasised the need to increase production capacity so that fingerlings can be supplied to areas facing shortages, while also enhancing the agency’s internal revenue generation.
He noted that fish farming is increasingly being adopted as an income-generating activity nationwide, creating strong demand for quality fingerlings, particularly tilapia and catfish, and positioning FETA as a strategic player in supporting sector growth.
The deputy permanent secretary further advised the agency to invest in cage fish farming in major water bodies, including Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika.
He said such initiatives would strengthen practical training for students while enabling FETA to engage in commercial production that supports financial sustainability.
According to him, the establishment of cage farming projects would also support the government’s Blue Economy agenda by promoting skills development, productivity and value creation within the fisheries subsector.
Earlier, FETA Chief Executive Officer Dr Semvua Mzighani said the agency continues to offer both short-term and long-term training programmes aimed at enabling Tanzanians to capitalise on opportunities available in the fisheries and Blue Economy sectors.
He said FETA’s priority areas include aquaculture, sea cucumber farming, crab fattening and seaweed cultivation, noting that these activities have strong commercial potential and contribute to food security, employment creation and coastal livelihoods.
During the visit, Dr Mhede toured key training and production facilities, including fish hatcheries, tilapia and catfish ponds, fish and seaweed drying units, the campus health centre, and the Fisheries and Maritime Studies Department.
He also interacted with students, encouraging them to fully utilise the institution’s practical learning environment.
The government has identified aquaculture as a critical driver of economic growth under the Blue Economy framework, with institutions such as FETA expected to play a central role in skills development, innovation and increased fish production.