Fisheries Research Pundits Hatches Cloud- Connected Deep Sea Fishing Technology To Propell Blue Economy In Tanzania
MARINE fishing in Tanzania is no longer a speculative business as the Government, through the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), has worked to digitalize the sector.
Previously, marine fishers in the country used to identify areas where large number of birds gathered over the sea as a clue that those areas had abundant fish, a rudimentary method that did not always produce reliable results.
The situation, denied Tanzania a possible chance to fully tap and benefiting from the vast economic opportunity that the country’s marine fisheries have to offer.
To that end, and due to technological advancement in the sector, experts at TAFIRI have introduced a cloud- connected system to assist sea fishermen to identify areas with concentration of many fishes.
According to the Director General (DG) of TAFIRI, Dr Ismael Kimirei the invention of the digital technology is now enabling fishers to venture into the sea with impeccable information on where they can fish successifuly.
” We have introduced a special App, called PFZ, which is connected to an automated system that provides fishers with visual picture of fish the aggregation areas in the sea,” he informed.
With the provision of such meaningful information, he said, marine fishers are now standing a better position to know how far they are supposed to sail their vessels and fishing boats in order to achieve catches.
The technology has also become helpful in reducing vessel fuel consumption and fishing time, while assuring a reliable market, as buyers can place orders before fishing since fishers knows the expected volume of fish they are going to net.
Moreover, Dr Kimirei noted that introduction of the App was in continuation of the Tanzania’s maiden research on the agreggation and distribution of fish within the United Republic of Tanzania’s marine economic zone, conducted by TAFIRI in collaboration with other institutions.
The institutions, include the Zanzibar Fisheries Research Institute (ZAFIRI), Deep Sea Fishing Authority (DSFA) and Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST).
He said the government also dished- out funds to support implementation of the vast research program.
However, he informed that the research program managed to cover only ten percent of the marine economic zone due to financial limitations.
“We are thankful to President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her patriotic willingness to provide us with funds to support TAFIRI in implementing its role professionally, a move aimed at boosting the blue economy in the country,” he appreciated.
He said financial investments into the fisheries sector were prudent in helping to strenthern the conduct of vital research meant to digitalize the sector and, thus, boost the performance of the economic sector in Tanzania.
“The fisheries sector holds great potential to assist Tanzania to achieving its set 2050 Development Vision, should the sector receive the deserved financial investments,” he said.
Dr Kimirei observed that in developed fisheries countries, such as South Korea, the USA and China, governments are setting aside substantial amounts from their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to support the development of the fisheries sector.
“For instance, in South Korea the government annually spends at least 6.5 percent of its GDP to finance the sector, while in China and the USA, the amount ranges from 2 to 3 percent,” he added.
However, he appreciated the patriotic readiness of the government of Tanzania to set aside at least over one percent of the country’s GDP to support the fisheries sector.
With enough funds, he assured that, the parent ministry, through TAFIRI, will be able to implement a series of research projects meant to enhance socio-economic development, value addition, and aquaculture development, including fish fingerlings, feed, and disease control.