Microbiology and Spoilage Trail in Nile Perch (Lates niloticus), Lake ...

East Africa. The lake produces a fish catch of over 800,000 tonnes fish annually that currently
leads to worth about US $590 million of which US $340 million is generated at the shore and
a further US$ 250 million a year is earned in exports from the Nile perch fishery. The lake
fisheries employee’s as direct or indirect, almost 2 million people with household incomes
and meet the annual fish consumption needs of about 22 million people in the region. The
fishery is supported by three main important fish stocks, the Lates nilotucus (Nile perch),
Rastrineobola argentea (Dagaa/Sardines) and Oreochromis niloticus (Nile Tilapia). Whereas
over 75% of Nile perch is send directly to fish establishment for processing and export to
overseas especially to the lucrative European Market, while dagaa and tilapia serve the local
region and domestic markets. Nile perch contribute about 60% of the total catch from the lake
fishery supplies of which over 80% of the total fish and fish products have been exported to
abroad/overseas markets.
According to the Fisheries Division (FD) annual statistics report (2008). The total fish
production in 2007 was 332,179.48mt whereas 98.68% (327,806.5mt) of production was
from artisanal fisheries. Total revenues collection was about TZS 213 billion which
generated TZS 7.5 billion as royalty. The fishery exports from Lake Victoria alone
contributed about 92% of the total export where Nile perch fillets contributed 74% and
other Nile perch products and dagaa 13%. Lake Tanganyika contributed about 4% while
Marine fishery export contributed about 5%. These fisheries employ more than 160,000
direct fishers and about 4 million others in fisheries related activities. The overall
contribution of fisheries sector to the economy of the country is 10% and to the Gross
Domestic Production (GDP) about 3%.
1.1 QUALITY AND SAFETY ASSURANCE OF EXPORTED FISH AND FISH
PRODUCTS FROM TANZANIA
Fish quality control standards and marketing section under Fisheries Division (FD) in the
Ministry of Livestock Development and Fisheries is responsible for monitoring,
surveillance, quality control and certifying fish and fishery products to meet national and
international quality standards. This is enacted by the Fisheries Act No. 22 of 2003 and
Fisheries Regulations of 2005. Thus in order to efficiently implement these roles, FD
established a National Fish Quality Control Laboratory (NFQCL)-Nyegezi in 1997 at Lake
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