Tanzania’s earnings from fish and fish product exports rose by 11.3 percent to $181.6 million in the year ending August 2026, thanks to an improvement in processing and preservation.
During the preceding year, the country earned $163.1 million from supplying fish and fish products to international markets.
According to the Bank of Tanzania’s September 2026 Monthly Economic Review, the increase amounted to $18.5 million, reflecting higher export earnings from the sector over the period. Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Prof Mohamed Sheikh, told The Citizen that Tanzania exports between 57,000 and 60,000 metric tons of fish and fishery products annually, with its markets extending to China, Hong Kong, the United States, the European Union, and several African countries.
He said freshwater fisheries account for the bulk of the country’s fish exports, with Lake Victoria contributing an estimated 80 to 85 percent of export volumes.
‘The lake is a major source of Nile perch, whose fillets are exported to markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Other export products include sardines, harvested from lakes Victoria and Tanganyika, and fish maws, locally known as mabondo, which are in demand in China and Hong Kong,’ he said.
He noted that marine fisheries products, including crabs and lobsters from the Indian Ocean, account for an estimated 15 percent of national fish export volumes, according to the information provided by Professor Sheikh.
‘Marine catches from the Indian Ocean such as crabs and lobsters currently constitute roughly 15 percent of total national exports.’
He said Tanzania’s annual export volumes, which fluctuate between 57,000 and 59,000 metric tons per year (averaging 60,000 tons), position the nation well ahead of its East African neighbors.
He noted that to expand beyond the 60,000-ton mark, government strategies are focused on building modern fish landing sites, strategic ports, and dedicated fish markets equipped with advanced cold storage machinery. ‘Because marine fisheries currently contribute only 15 percent of total exports, the installation of cold chain infrastructure along the coast is expected to significantly boost high-value marine shipments from the Indian Ocean.’
A coordinator of the Fish for ACP project and a fisheries and aquaculture expert in Tanzania, Hashim Mumin, said on the sidelines of an event marking the completion of a phase of the Fish4ACP six-year initiative, “We introduced to improve fish-processing technologies and preservation facilities that international buyers of smoked fish prefer products processed using the improved stoves we introduced.”
He said the technologies are intended to reduce smoke exposure and contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chemical substances that can pose health risks when present in food above recommended limits.
‘The project has introduced improved smoking kilns and energy-efficient stoves as alternatives to traditional fish-processing methods. These methods can expose processors, particularly women, to excessive smoke and may compromise product quality.’
Mumin said the project had supported fish processing for products destined for export markets, including the European Union. The specific technologies used and their compliance with applicable export standards require confirmation.
He noted that the project has also focused on improving fish preservation around Lake Tanganyika, where unreliable electricity has constrained access to ice.
Working with the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, the initiative has supplied solar-powered freezers to fishing communities and supported the establishment of ice-making plants.
According to Mumin, two plants have been established in Kigoma and Uvinza, while a third is planned for Tanganyika District in Katavi Region.
Each plant has a production capacity of 15 tonnes of ice per day and uses electricity from the national grid alongside solar power.
Mumin said the use of solar energy had reduced production costs by 50 percent, enabling communities to purchase ice at lower prices.
Waste heat generated during ice production is also being used to dry dagaa, creating an additional use for energy that would otherwise be lost.
Reliable access to ice is important for preserving fish after landing, helping maintain quality.
Beyond infrastructure, he said the project has provided training in marketing, financial literacy, fisheries regulations, and awareness of gender-based violence.
‘It has also worked with financial institutions and the University of Dar es Salaam Business School to strengthen participants’ financial knowledge and access to credit. It has also conducted a fish-stock assessment in Lake Tanganyika to compare current conditions with findings from an assessment carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1996.’
Mumin said the findings were being compiled for publication and would help inform the management of the lake’s fisheries resources.
The assessment is expected to provide updated information on fish stocks, supporting decisions on the sustainable use of the lake’s resources.