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DODOMA - Tanzania has suffered significant losses due to illegal fishing, amounting to about 15.2 billion Tanzanian shillings (about 5.9 million U.S. dollars) between 2019 and 2023, according to the latest report by the Controller and Auditor General.

The report, covering the period 2022/2023, said that most of the illegal fishing activities were carried out using unregistered and unlicensed vessels in the Indian Ocean, as well as Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa.

Auditing the management of fisheries resources in Tanzania, the report reveals that a concerning 72.99 percent of operating fishing vessels in the country are unregistered and unlicensed.

Out of a total of 28,615 vessels engaged in fishing activities across various water bodies in Tanzania, 20,885 vessels have not been registered or licensed, according to the report.

The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries estimates the annual fish catches in Tanzania at an average of 395,006 tonnes, with the volume showing a growth rate of 1.5 percent per year.