The drivers of persistence of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Tanzania small pelagic fisheries

Title : The drivers of persistence of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Tanzania small pelagic fisheries

Abstract:

It is generally accepted that a crisis in future global food security is looming due to the world's population growth, increasing demand for fish protein, and the depletion of many of the world's fish stocks. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is also rising at an alarming rate, with significant biological and economic consequences. Along the Tanzanian coast, the demand for fishery resources has been increasing due to population and tourism development, leading to increased fishing pressure and the use of destructive gears. The present study investigated the factors driving IUU fishing in Tanzania’s small pelagic fisheries, focusing on three landing sites: Kilindoni, Kipumbwi, and Kilwa Kivinje.

Data collection methods included structured and semi-structured questionnaire surveys of 414 respondents, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and a review of secondary data. The present study revealed that a lack of alternative livelihood activities is a key driving factor for the persistence of illegal fishing in the selected landing sites. The types of IUU fishing reported in the study area were beach seine fishing, the use of small mesh-sized nets, and fishing by unlicensed fishers. At Kipumbwi, unlicensed fishers (203) outnumbered licensed fishers (113), indicating enforcement gaps. The reported challenges in combating illegal fishing include the influence of brotherhood, inadequate funding, and inadequate law enforcement.

Thus, there is a need for sustainable financing, strengthened law enforcement, capacity building, and the establishment of alternative livelihood activities.

Keywords: Illegal fishing; unreported fishing; unregulated fishing; Beach Management Units; small pelagic fisheries; Tanzanian coast.

Biography:

Dr. Lyidia Selis Kapapa is a Senior Fisheries Research Scientist at the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI) with over two decades of experience in fisheries socio-economics, governance, and community-based natural resource management. Her work focuses on small-scale fisheries, co-management systems, gender in fisheries value chains, and the vulnerability of fishing-dependent livelihoods to climate change and variability.

She holds a PhD in Aquatic Sciences (Thesis) from the University of Dar es Salaam, an MSc in International Fisheries Management from the Arctic University of Norway Tromsø, and a BSc in Marine Biology and Microbiology from the University of Dar es Salaam. Dr. Kapapa has led and collaborated on numerous nationally and internationally funded research projects, including World Bank-supported initiatives such as the Marine and Coastal Environment Management Project (MACEMP) and the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish), Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) marine research grants, and Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH)-funded innovations.

Her research has been widely published in peer-reviewed journals, including Marine Policy and the Tanzania Journal of Science. Dr. Kapapa brings to the organization strong expertise in evidence-based policy, fisheries governance, climate resilience, and inclusive blue economy development, with a particular commitment to empowering women, youth, and coastal communities.