DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's fisheries sector has recorded a sharp increase in exports, signaling renewed investment and growing momentum in the country's blue economy, officials have said.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of World Fisheries Day in Dar es Salaam on Friday, Agnes Kisaka Meena, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, said exports of fish and fish products rose from 42,000 tonnes valued at 509.9 billion Tanzanian shillings (about 210 million U.S. dollars) to 59,000 tonnes worth 755 billion Tanzanian shillings in the most recent reporting period.

Meena added that the number of fishers grew from 198,475 in 2023 to 201,661 in 2024, and that the number of fish-processing factories expanded rapidly from 21 to 64 over the same period.

Production from natural water bodies climbed from 479,976 tonnes valued at 3.4 trillion Tanzanian shillings in 2023 to 522,788 tonnes worth 4.3 trillion Tanzanian shillings in 2024, a sign of improved management and increased investment, she said.

"With an estimated six million Tanzanians relying on fisheries, nearly 10 percent of our 62 million-strong population, this sector plays a strategic role in our economy," Meena said, noting Tanzania's rich aquatic resources, from oceans to lakes.

At the event, the ministry's Assistant Director for Research and Training Emelda Teikwa said World Fisheries Day fostered public awareness on conservation, fish consumption, and beach cleanliness, adding that the two-day celebrations included clean-up drives, awareness sessions, and forums for fishers to engage with experts. ■