Photo credit: KIVA-API (build.kiva.org)
Review: KIVA – API and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
The market shown in the picture is located in Musoma District, which is among the six districts of Mara Region with its ~ 130,000 population is located in the northern part of Tanzania. Most people in Musoma make a living from Lake Victoria either by selling small fish known as dagaa, to larger fish such as tilapia, or much larger fish such as Nile perch. As the case with fresh fish markets, Musoma market suits best the heavier population centers.
It appears that tilapia dominates the displays in the market indicating the consumer preference as well as its quantities.
In regard to Nile perch, occasional shipments can be arranged to reach Dar es Salaam using cars with specially built freezers or via the few refrigerated wagons of the railway, while special shipments of fresh Nile perch may be arranged via the air services.
Because of the importance of Nile perch to the export market, fishing regulation have been formally in place to minimize the over-fishing practices. In that regard, the Musoma fish market like other markets in Tanzania is subject patrols to ensure that fishmongers are not selling immature Nile perch with less than 50 cm in length.
In regard to fish consumption in Tanzania, and according to FAO statistics, the consumption has been 7.2 kg/capita in the year 2013.
