The Deep Sea Fishing Aithority (DSFA) has a Compliance Section which comprises of Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC) and Control Unit. The Section is responsible for Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MSC) on the Exclusice Econoic Zone  (EEZ) of the United Republic of Tanzania. This Section is headed by a Compliance Officer. Currently the the main functions of MSC include but not limited to:

• Prepare annual work plans based on the Authority three years (2011/2012 -2014/2015 Strategic Plan;
•  Conduct air and sea patrols;
• Conduct  Sea inspection for vessels fishing in the Tanzanian EEZ;
• Conduct  prelisensing  inpection for fishing vessels;
• Keep and maintain records for applications received, vessel inspected and licences issued;
• Provide advice to the Director General on maters related to MSC; and
• Prepare daily, weekly, monthly, midterm and annual implementation reports.

The FMC has a Vessel Monitoiring System (VMS) which facilitates the Section to  track fishing activities in our EEZ. This system is playing a useful role in minimising iUU fishing in the EEZ.  Information  showing catches of tuna and tuna like species fished in our EEZ during entry and exit of fishing vessel is being received at the FMC by using the VMS.

Enforcement of the Deep Sea Fishing Authority Legislation.

The DSFA has a Fisheries Legislation (Deep Sea Fishing Authority Act No. 1 of 1998 and its ammendment of 2007 and Deep Sea Fishing Authority Regulations of 2009).  DSFA is mandated to ensure that fishing activities in the URT EEZ are done as per national legislation. The information below shows pratical activities that are in line with the national legislation.

The Deep Sea Fishing Authority (DSFA) has a Licensing Section which is responsible for receiving license application from owners of fishing vessels intending to fish in the EEZ of Tanzania. Also, it handles application from Tanzanian flagged fishing vessels seeking for Authorization to fish Certificate in the international waters and EEZ of other countries. Currently the the main functions of the Section include but not limited to:

• Prepare annual work plans based on the Authority three years (2011/2012 -2014/2015 Strategic Plan;
•  Scrutinizing licence application and authorization to fish application
• Process Application Forms;

• Keep and maintain records for applications received, vessel inspected and licences issued;
• Conduct pre-licensing  inspection for fishing vessels;
• Provide advice to the Director General on maters related to fishing licences and Authorization to fish Certificate; and

• Prepare daily, weekly, monthly, mid- term and annual implementation reports.

The Deep Sea Fishing Aithority (DSFA) has a Statstics Section which is responsible for receiving data and other relevant information regarding fishing activities and license application from owners of fishing vessels intending to fish in the EEZ of Tanzania. Also, it handles fishery statistics transmited to the Fisheries Monitoring Center (FMC) of the Authority via the Vessels Monitoring System. Currently the main functions of this Section include but not limited to:

• Prepare annual work plans based on the Authority three years (2011/2012 -2014/2015 Strategic Plan;
•  Keep in the Data base fishery statistics from the Tanzanian  EEZ and other relevant information (vessel particulars, vessel operators and owners)
• Receive, process and analyze EEZ fishery statistics

• Keep and maintain records for license applications, inspected vessels and licences issued;
• Conduct prelisensing  inpection for fishing vessels
• Dissemination of information
• Provide advice to the Director General on matters related to the management of EEZ fishery statistics

• Prepare daily, weekly, monthly, midterm and annual implementation reports

The analyzed information helps Managers and Decision Makers to be well informed for formulation of appropriate EEZ fisheries management policy and decision making for long term EEZ sustainable fishery resources management and utilization.

Statistical information

The Deep Sea Fishing Authority has a Data base, this Data base is used to store, process and analyze EEZ fishery statistics and other related information.  On the other hand, the Deep Sea Fishing Authority Legislation requires all licensed vessels to report fish caught in the EEZ of United Republic of Tanzania (URT) on daily basis. Furthermore, Tanzanian flagged fishing vessels are required to report fish caught in the international waters. Also, other information regarding specifications of fishing vessels applying for fishing licences, records of fishing vessels that have received fishing licences are being kept in the Data base.

The historical record of fish caught in the EEZ of URT shows that catch of the tuna and tuna like species within Tanzania EEZ varies from year to year but an average of about 8,000 metric tons/year has been observed. Furthermore, catch distribution charts for the tuna and tuna like fisheries in the Indian Ocean, shows that purse seine catches are highest on the edges of the Tanzanian EEZ.

Generally, the Statistics Section would update from time to time the following information:

• The annual statistics report of the Deep Sea Fishing Authority
• General Fishing trend in Tanzania Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
• Fish catch per month and year by type of gear
• Fish catch per month and year by fish species
• Number of licensed vessels per year
• Estimates of Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE)

Sharing of information

The EEZ fisheries statistics and other related information produced by the Authority is being shared by various stakeholders, they include Ministries responsible for fisheries matters in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, Tanzania Bureau of Statistics, Research and Academic Institutions and Private Sector in the United Republic of Tanzania, among others. Others include Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations; Indian Ocean Tuna Commission; South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission, among others.

The produced information would be in inform of bulletin, leaflets, news letter among others which will  be posted in the Authority website in both English and Kiswahili Languages.