Fisheries and Aquaculture Blue Economy Action Plan (2025-2035) for the Implementation of the National Blue Economy Policy 2024.

This Fisheries and Aquaculture Blue Economy Action Plan is a 10-year national document aimed at strengthening the Blue Economy governance mechanisms and resonating with the National Blue Economy Policy 2024, to ensure its operationalization. The Plan has been formulated to attract investments, infrastructure development, value addition, foster enabling environment and empowerment, advance technology, promote underutilized resources, build institutional capacity, utilize untapped resources in the EEZ, industrial development, enhance marketing efforts, facilitate research and information sharing, boost aquaculture production and productivity, conservation of aquatic ecosystems, and combat IUU, in the context of other policies such as Tanzania Blue Economy Policy 2024 and its Implementation Strategy 2024, The Fisheries Sector Master Plan and the African Blue Economy Strategy 2019 and its Implementation Plan 2019. The document encompasses the Blue Economy in mainland Tanzania, covering all its aquatic environments—oceans (including the EEZ), coasts, lakes, rivers, and ponds—and involving a wide range of stakeholders from state and non-state actors to international partners.
The overall goal of the Action Plan is to enable effective, inclusive, equitable, and integrated utilization and sustainable management of blue economy resources for economic growth and improved livelihoods so that to achieve the Vision of a country with a strong, integrated, inclusive blue economy in fisheries and aquaculture sectors to drive socio-economic growth. To achieve this, the following specific objectives are set out (i) strengthen coordination of blue economy activities in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors; (ii) promote effective planning and utilization of the fisheries and aquaculture blue economy resources; (iii) promote strategic and integrated investment and sustainable utilization of the fisheries and aquaculture blue economy resources; (iv) enhance research in the utilization and management of the fisheries and aquaculture blue economy resources; (v) promote gender responsiveness and good governance in the implementation of Blue Economy activities within the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The Action Plan is based on the following thematic area developed according to the specific objectives based on the recommendations of the key stakeholders (i) coordination of Blue Economy in Fisheries and Aquaculture sectors; (ii) sustainable uses of fisheries and aquaculture resources; (iii) investment in fisheries and aquaculture; (iv) research in fisheries and aquaculture; (v) cross-cutting issues such as gender, youth, and good governance.
By 2035, the Action Plan aims to establish a dedicated Fisheries and Aquaculture Blue Economy Section/Unit within the Ministry, amend the Deep Sea Fishing Authority Act, and create a smooth coordination mechanism with various stakeholders to oversee the entire blue economy lifecycle. Key activities include mainstreaming the Plan into government policies, promoting investments in national fleets for Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and high seas fishing, and establishing governance mechanisms for waters/areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). Additionally, the Plan focuses on developing infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses, promoting technology transfer and application of AI, remote sensing, and marine robotics. Strategic investments in fish seed and feed production, fishing vessel manufacturing, offshore capture fisheries technologies, non-food production systems (e.g., marine biotechnology), and circular economy innovations will be pursued. It also emphasizes enhancing advanced technologies in fisheries management and aquaculture development, strengthening blue economy research, improving infrastructure and technology in research institutions, and promoting stakeholder involvement in inclusive research. Finally, the Plan aims to ensure gender equality and youth participation by establishing relevant platforms and promoting gender-sensitive programs, while also strengthening good governance through community capacitation in co-management arrangements.