d The Fisher ies Division will determine whether the species can be imported if none of the criteria listed below is violat-
ed, and if a health certificate is obtained. Criteria
• The FAO Code of Practice and Manual of Procedures for Consideration of Introductions and Transfers of Marine and
Freshwater O rganisms FAO, 1988 contains useful guide- lines that should be taken into account when permitting
exotic species • Species listed in the Fisheries Regulations as banned from
impor t e.g. carp will not be allowed without careful consideration
• As a general statement, native species or species already cultured in the nation are preferred
• The species presents no threat of competition with native flora and fauna, and does not hold the potential for damag-
ing habitat • The species does not present the threat of affecting the gene
pool of local species through hybridization or genetic swamping
• Parasites, pathogens, or diseases do not affect public health. • Care must be taken to ensure that any impor ted animals and
plants are free from pathogens and parasites. Facilities pro- viding juveniles or brood stock should have health records
available for the past three years to suppor t the application to impor t animals from outside the country
• Impor tation of dangerous organisms such as predatory fish or invasive vegetation may also be prohibited
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• If the request for importation is approved, the Fisher ies Division will issue a letter permitting the importation
• W here needed, all precautions will be taken to minimize any potential ill effects of importing species
4. Site selection
Selection of an appropriate site is crucial to establishing a viable mariculture business that has minimal environmental and social
impacts. An appropriate site is one that provides optimal bio- physical conditions for growth of the species, minimizes damage
to the environment, avoids conflicts with other resource-use activities, and provides accessibility to a market.
Criteria • The site must be available i.e., not otherwise in use and the
project acceptable to local people. Issues of displacement of local people, conflicts with ongoing economic uses, threats
to wildlife or livestock, potential health or safety hazards, or affects on sensitive sites must be considered
• The site must accommodate the requirements of the species to be cultured
• Site characteristics such as availability, baseline biophysical and chemical conditions, and supply and quantity of water
will need to be confirmed through a site visit and research • The value of the land and adjacent areas must not be dimin-
ished through soil erosion, salinization of ground waters, detrimental changes in hydrology, etc.
• In the case of land held under Customary Right, if projects are to be started, status of the land must be changed to
Statuary Right of O ccupancy 55
Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership
• If potential for environmental impacts “Determining the Potential for Impact” pages 24-27 is detected, then granting
land use rights is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the EIA and issuance of an Environmental Permit
5. Culture technology
The intensity of an aquaculture operation will have a bearing on the financial viability and the potential for impacts. The Fisher ies
policy emphasizes that semi-intensive culture should be encour- aged. Intensive and extensive culture are not prohibited. The
actual parameter s will vary considerably depending on the species cultured. Maximizing outputs either production or
financial while minimizing practices that may cause environmen- tal impacts such as excessive use of chemotherapeutants or heavy
effluent loads is the intent of the Fisheries policy. Criteria
• Species-specific criteria for culture technology do not exist in Tanzania and will vary widely according to the species.
Generally the appropriate level of technology will depend on the level of production expected, the exper ience of the
operator, the amount of capital available, potential impacts presented, and the size and characteristics of the site. These
will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
6. Cumulative impacts from multiple projects
In cases where multiple projects exist or are proposed, the cumulative impact of project expansion must be considered.
Limits to expansion may need to be set on a case-by-case basis relative to the ability of the local area to support mar iculture
operations while retaining ecological integrity. As a first step, it is suggested that when there are more than 10 mariculture pro-
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