Tanzania is seeking to attract more investment into its fisheries and wider blue economy as the government positions marine resources as a key pillar of its long-term economic transformation.
Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Ambassador Dr Bashiru Ally Kakurwa, made the appeal in Qingdao, China, where he participated in the launch of the Global Initiative for the Ocean Decade Marine Public Welfare Action on September 17, 2026.
The initiative seeks to strengthen scientific research, marine conservation, public participation and sustainable economic use of ocean resources, with a particular focus on improving outcomes for coastal communities and future generations.
Speaking at the International Ocean Development Forum, Dr Bashiru presented Tanzania’s Vision 2050, highlighting fisheries and the blue economy as areas with potential to contribute to the country’s ambition of becoming an upper-middle-income economy with a $1 trillion economy by 2050.
Vision 2050, which started implementation on July 1, 2026, identifies the blue economy and fisheries among areas expected to contribute to economic growth.
Dr Bashiru said Tanzania’s extensive water resources provide a significant base for expanding fisheries and other marine economic activities.
More than 30 percent of Tanzania’s territory consists of water, he said, underscoring the scale of the resources available for investment and economic activity.
But he cautioned that greater exploitation of marine resources must be accompanied by stronger environmental protection.
The minister said economic development should not undermine the marine ecosystems that support fishing, coastal livelihoods and other economic activities.
The message reflects a growing challenge for countries seeking to expand their blue economies: how to increase the economic value of oceans while protecting the ecosystems on which that value depends.
At the Qingdao forum, Dr Bashiru invited domestic and international investors to explore opportunities in Tanzania’s fisheries sector, including joint operation of a fishing port.
The proposed investment, he said, could help expand the country's capacity to utilise its fisheries resources and create opportunities across the fishing and related value chains.
He also called for stronger cooperation between international universities and research institutions and institutions under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and Tanzanian universities.
Such partnerships could strengthen research, technology and scientific knowledge needed to improve fisheries management and support sustainable use of marine resources.
The minister's participation in the forum comes as Tanzania seeks to turn its large marine and freshwater resources into greater economic opportunities while maintaining the environmental systems that sustain millions of people who depend on aquatic resources.
For Tanzania, the challenge will be to translate the blue economy potential highlighted at international forums into investment, jobs, improved fisheries productivity and stronger livelihoods for communities along the country's extensive coastline and inland waters.