Africa-Press – Tanzania. ZANZIBAR-headquartered Deep Sea Fishing Authority (DSFA) has embarked on an aggressive campaign to attract fishing ships, with 22 vessels already having been registered.
DSFA Acting Director General Dr Emmanuel Sweke told the ‘Daily News’ here over the weekend that prospects for receipt of more domestic and foreign investors are high.
“Our doors remain open to more fishing vessels and we are getting many inquiries from prospective domestic investors,” said Dr Sweke, wooing especially domestic investors to grab the lucrative business opportunities in the blue economy.
The six-month-long liner fishing season will open in October 2021 and end in March 2022, said the industry regulator. Zanzibar Fisheries Company (ZAFICO) and its mainland counterpart Tanzania Fisheries Corporation (TAFICO) are among the key domestic players in deep sea fishing, with the government having decided to procure four fishing vessels for each firm.
Although the DSFA campaign focuses on prospective investors from all corners of the world, the main focus is on China, Taiwan, French, Seychelles and Spain, Dr Sweke said.
The signing of the Deep Sea Fisheries Management and Development Act’s regulations early last April has opened up for massive registration of the fishing vessels in deep waters.
Livestock and Fisheries Minister Mashimba Ndaki and his Zanzibar counterpart for the Blue Economy and Fisheries Abdulla Hussein Kombo inked the 72-page document on behalf of the union and revolutionary governments, respectively.
The industry regulator believes that the regulations have introduced a good environment for investors in the deep sea through provision of incentives to domestic and foreign investors.
Dr Sweke said the authority is determined to boost participation of the private sector in the blue economy and reinforce protection of the country’s marine resources, adding that under the regulations, Tanzanians will pay only 16 per cent of the fishing vessel registration fee, enjoying a whopping 84 per cent government subsidy.
Both the union and revolutionary governments have declared their intention to focus on maritime resources to boost the national economy, with Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Mwinyi vowing to transform the fishing sub-sector and all maritime economic activities for the economic prosperity of Zanzibaris.
Speaking after signing the regulations at Fumba on the outskirts of Zanzibar city, Minister Ndaki instructed the DSFA management to immediately start issuing the fishing licences, saying: “All we need is money.” He reminded the authority to work hard and diligently to attract as many investors as possible.
Mr Kombo warned the agency against undue bureaucracy, directing the deep sea regulator instead to work closely with investors and provide acceptable services.
