DAR ES SALAAM, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The construction of Tanzania's first-ever fishing harbor will be completed in 2025, boosting the country's fish catches in deep seas, a senior official said Wednesday. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told parliament in the capital of Dodoma that the construction of the fishing harbor in Kilwa Masoko on the Indian Ocean coastline in the Lindi region has reached 42 percent. The project is being built by China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), a leading Chinese construction company, and has helped more than 400 local people get jobs, according to Tanzania Ports Authority. Tang Zhen, deputy head of the Eastern Africa Division of the company, said CHEC will spare no efforts to help Tanzania build its first-ever fishing harbor, and continuously enhance friendship and cooperation between China and Tanzania. In efforts aimed at improving the fisheries sector, the government has distributed 160 fishing boats worth 11.5 billion Tanzanian shillings (about 4.5 million U.S. dollars) to fisheries cooperatives and individual fishers in 58 district councils, Majaliwa told the House when he tabled his office's budget proposals for the 2024/2025 financial year. He said the government has also constructed 222 fish farming cages in Mara, Simiyu, Mwanza, Kagera and Geita regions, which have been allocated to 1,213 fish farmers.
