Tanzania's Fisheries Department collected TZS39.6 billion in government revenue during the 2025/26 financial year, marking a 24 percent increase from TZS32 billion recorded a year earlier, following a nationwide drive to tighten compliance, curb illegal trade and strengthen enforcement across the fisheries sector.
The improved performance comes as the government intensifies efforts to maximise domestic revenue while promoting sustainable management of fisheries resources, a sector that continues to play an increasingly important role in the country's economy.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam on Saturday during a meeting to review revenue collection and monitoring, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Fisheries in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Prof. Mohamed Sheikh, said the increase was driven by a special inspection and monitoring exercise carried out in major fishing and border zones across the country.
The operation covered the Southern Highlands, Central, Coastal and Lake Victoria fisheries zones, as well as border points in Kagera, Kigoma and Geita regions, targeting compliance with fisheries laws, payment of statutory levies and the prevention of fish product smuggling.
"The measures we introduced to strengthen revenue collection are producing positive results. Between March and June 2026 alone, we collected TZS16.1 billion from fisheries levies, exports of fishery products and various penalties," Prof. Sheikh said.
He said the ministry has now set an ambitious revenue target of TZS71.5 billion for the 2026/27 financial year, reflecting its confidence that strengthened enforcement and compliance will continue to boost collections.
Beyond higher revenue, the ministry said stronger regulation has contributed to improved sector performance. The fisheries sector's contribution to Tanzania's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased from 1.8 percent to 2.2 percent, while its growth rate has accelerated from 2.6 percent to 6.3 percent.
According to Prof. Sheikh, the ministry's assessment shows that closer monitoring has significantly improved monthly collections, with average revenue increasing from TZS2.9 billion between July 2025 and February 2026 to TZS4.02 billion between March and June 2026.
He said the government plans to sustain the momentum by introducing additional measures to strengthen compliance, improve inspection systems and enhance stakeholder awareness, while extending the successful revenue monitoring model to the livestock sector.
The ministry said revenue collection efforts include inspections of fishery products destined for export, monitoring cross-border trade, enforcing fisheries laws and regulations, and educating industry stakeholders on compliance requirements.
The latest figures underscore the government's broader strategy of improving tax and non-tax revenue collection through stronger enforcement while safeguarding Tanzania's fisheries resources and supporting long-term economic growth.
