News

The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF) have agreed to collaborate in constructing and managing one massive National Mariculture Resource Centre (NMRC), at the UDSM School of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Technology (SoAF), located at Kunduchi, in Dar es Salaam.

The two parts entered into this agreement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between the UDSM Vice Chancellor Professor William Anangisye and the Permanent Secretary MLF (Fisheries) Dr. Rashid Tamatamah at SoAF, in Dar es Salaam today, March 22, 2022.

“We are so much optimistic that this Centre will bring about great changes in the mariculture production and hence attract more opportunities for communities living along the coast. It will also be very useful for mariculture researchers and students at this School of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Technology”, said Dr. Tamatamah.

The Permanent Secretary pointed out that the Centre, which is also funded by the World Bank under the SWIOFIsh project, is among the government’s decisive initiatives in addressing the challenges of fish feeds production. He noted, “We have only 11 industries that produces fish feeds with a production of only 1,000 tones; while our requirement is 27,000 tones”.

The functions of NMRC, the one of its kind in the country, will be, among others, to develop, adopt or validate appropriate mariculture technologies through research; and to conduct capacity building programmes through training and outreach activities on various aspects of mariculture.

The Centre will also promote investment for sustainable mariculture production; provide business and technical support; demonstrate and transfer appropriate mariculture technologies; produce and distribute various mariculture inputs for stimulating development; and provide working space for research, demonstration and incubation.

The UDSM Vice Chancellor, Professor Anangisye, said that the NMRC will offer great opportunities for both local and international students and researchers in conducting research that aim at improving mariculutre science and discipline. The Centre will also be very instrumental in addressing the two major challenges facing aquaculture in the country, that is, quality feeds and seeds.

Prof. Anangisye also added: “The construction of this Centre is very timely considering the country’s current efforts aimed at harnessing the potentials of water resources including mariculture in order to attain related economic benefits especially through the popular ‘Blue Economy’ concept”.