Dynamite fishing causes concern for Dar gas pipeline
Environmental activists are concerned about the growing amount of “dynamite fishermen” whose illegal fishing methods they say will threaten the proposed 532 km natural gas pipeline from Mnazi Bay in the south to Dar es Salaam.
The situation is described as critical near Songo Songo gas fields in the southern Lindi region as well as other coastal areas in Kilwa such as Somanga Ndumbo, Cheketu, Nyamatungutungu, Somanga Mtama.
The Beach Management Unit (BMU) at Somanga claim that as the declining fish stocks move further away from shore, dynamite fishermen are now engaging in their illegal activities nearer gas pipelines. It said that the work of local campaigners has been hampered by poor enforcement of fishing laws and regulations, as well as the reluctance of local government authorities to get involved. Six months ago in the northern region of Tanga, dynamite fishermen blinded a surveillance officer after attacking him with acid, while in August a patrol boat was destroyed in an arson attack.
During 1994 the area around Tanga recorded some 95 blasts. By 2007 this had increased to 20 blasts per month. Currently there are about 40 blasts per month in the Tanga area. Activists say that in addition to coastal areas in Tanga and Lindi, dynamite fishing is conducted openly in areas along the Dar es Salaam coast such as Msasani, Fungu Yasini, Kimbiji, Yaleyale, Kisiju, Amani Govu and Jibondo.
On 11 October, Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete directed that the process leading to the construction of the pipeline be fast-tracked in a bid to get the country out of its ongoing power crisis. The government’s target is to begin construction in June 2012 and have the project completed by early 2013. Tanzania secured a loan of $1 billion from China’s Exim Bank for the pipeline's construction.
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