Photo credit: Bilali Bandali (Tanzania) Review: Bilali Bandali and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
According to FAO statistics the catch of Nile perch (Lates niloticus) from Tanzanian waters amounted 73025, 68403 and 70626 tons in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively. Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika are the fishery resources of Nile perch in Tanzania. The Nile Perch contributes a significant amount of foreign exchange earnings in Tanzania.
The Nile perch specimen shown in the inserted picture was caught from Lake Victoria. This particular weighed 29 kg and measured 97 cm. The Fisheries Act No. 22 of 2003 and the Fisheries Regulations 2009, target the control the threat to the fishery recruitment and sustainability of Nile perch population that result from its illegal fishery as well as the unregulated regional market. According to the act, the fish size at capture is applicable only to Nile perch which has an allowed slot size of 50 – 85 cm TL.
