The government has called for new research and technology-based solutions to tackle illegal fishing, saying existing systems must be reviewed and improved if the long-running problem is to be brought to an end.
Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Ng’wasi Damas Kamani said officials should identify the “cure” for illegal fishing by examining whether current mechanisms are working and fixing weaknesses that may be undermining efforts to protect the country’s fisheries resources.
Mr Kamani spoke in Mwanza on September 14, 2026, when he received a concept paper proposing measures to control illegal fishing.
The paper was prepared by Jackson Bulili, a lecturer at the Institute of Rural Development Planning (IRDP), Mwanza, and Amos Zacharia, a technology specialist at Affordable Computes and Technology for Tanzania (ACTT), Mwanza.
The proposed approach is expected to give the ministry an additional tool in its efforts to address illegal fishing, which has remained a persistent challenge in the fisheries sector.
“Writing this concept paper clearly shows that the ministry has the support of citizens in ending illegal fishing,” Mr Kamani said.
He said the government would examine views from stakeholders and use them to improve existing systems and develop more effective ways of preventing and controlling illegal fishing.
Mr Kamani also urged stakeholders to move beyond identifying problems and come up with practical proposals that can produce measurable results in the fisheries sector.
He said research should form the basis of efforts to address challenges in the sector, with findings then translated into practical interventions.
“Solving challenges must begin with research and then developing proposals that bring value to the country,” he said.
Mr Kamani directed the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI) to work with stakeholders to identify the causes of challenges facing the sector and develop appropriate solutions.
He said closer cooperation among researchers, government institutions, technology experts and other fisheries stakeholders could help produce more effective interventions.
The Deputy Minister commended the authors of the concept paper, saying stakeholder-driven initiatives could help the government strengthen its response to illegal fishing.
He urged other players in the sector to develop innovative approaches that could improve monitoring and enforcement and help protect fisheries resources for communities and future generations.