FISHERIES IN ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar’s fisheries sector consists of capture fishery and aquaculture sub-sectors. Together, they employ over 100,000 people along their value chains and provide livelihoods to about one-third of the Zanzibar population.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC SUPPORT
The sub-sector creates about 63,000 jobs (of which 14% is for women, mostly working in the post-harvest stages). The figure includes fishers (79.7%), traders (6.3%), processors 3.7%, gear repairers (2.7%), porters 2.5%, fish farmers (1.2%), boat builders (1.2%) food servers (1.3%), transporters (0.8%) and others (1.9%) along the value chain. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution of fishery sub-sector is between 4-6%.
EXPORT OF FISH AND FISHERY PRODUCT
Zanzibar export of fish and fishery products consist of fishes, small pelagic (anchovy), sea cucumbers and mud crabs to African states, Asian and very few in Europe. From 2016 to 2021 Zanzibar exported 25, 876 Tons of fish at the value of 97, 176, 694, 594 TSH.
ZANZIBAR’S FISHERY POTENTIAL
Zanzibar’s territorial waters suggest practical evidence to availability of large stock of reef fish and small pelagic fish to sustain fishers’ communities, food security and GDP growth for many years so long they will be explored sustainably. Based on those suggestion Zanzibar could attract investors in deep sea fishing including fish processing facilities, fishing boat building, repair facilities and gear facilities.
MAJOR LOCAL FISH SPECIES
Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), albacore (Thunnus alalunga), swordfish (Xiphias gladius), narrow barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commersoni), Indo-Pacific king mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus), Indo-Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara), black marlin (Makaira indica), striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax), and Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus).
Additional species include longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol), kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis), frigate tuna (Auxis thazard), bullet tuna (Auxis rochei), as well as various species from the families Siganidae, Scaridae, Lethrinidae, Serranidae, Mullidae, Lutjanidae, Mugilidae, Clupidae, Sardinella, Engraulidae, Carangidae, Scrombidae, and Hemiramphidae.
ZANZIBAR OPPORTUNITY IN FISHERY
Zanzibar fishery suggests potential investment opportunities to livelihoods of people (fish is the main source of protein in Zanzibar and per capita consumption of fish in Zanzibar is around 23 kilograms), job and wealth creation, food security and GDP growth. Opportunities include: fish port, modern fishing technologies, accredited lab, fish processing facilities, cold storage facilities, market infrastructure, boats building and repair.
