24th to 27th August 2026,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Host: Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI)
Conference Scientific Programme
Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, Innovation, and Management for a Sustainable Blue Economy
Day 1: Opening and Plenary Sessions
Monday, 24th August 2026
Registration, Arrival of Guests and Health break
Opening Ceremony
- 09:15 - 09:20Arrival of the Guest of Honour
- 09:20 - 09:30Visit to the Exhibition Area by the Guest of Honour
- 09:30 - 09:45National anthem – Green Belt Nursery and Primary School
- 09:45 - 09:50Prayer
- 09:50 - 10:00Introduction of participants by groups: MC
- 10:00 - 10:10Welcome Remarks: Dr. Ismael A. Kimirei (Director General, TAFIRI) & Dr. Zakaria Khamis (Director General, ZAFIRI)
- 10:10 - 10:30Remarks from partners: IUCN, TNC, FAO, Nairobi Convention, KIOST, NIGLAS, DSFA, Gaming Board, LVFO, LTA
- 10:30 - 10:35Welcome remarks from TAFIRI Board Chairperson
- 10:35 - 10:45Welcome remarks from the PS: Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Mainland Tanzania
- 10:45 - 10:55Launch of the Bottom Habitat Mapping Report: Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mainland Tanzania
- 10:55 - 11:10Guest of Honor Opening Address: Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mainland Tanzania
📸 Conference Group Photo
Keynote Speeches & Special Sessions
Invisible Fish, Invisible People: Reframing Small-Scale Fisheries in Africa’s Blue Economy
Stock Status, Challenges, emerging issue and Possible Solutions for Lake Victoria Sustainability
- Director of fisheries – MoLF (Dr Baraka Sekadende)
- Director of aquaculture – MoLF (Dr. Nazael Madalla)
- Director of Inland Waters (KMFRI) - Dr Christopher Aura – Kenya
- Director Lakes Edward and Turkana - Ms Joyce Nyeko – Uganda
- Dr Robert Kayanda – LVFO
- Baraka Kalangahe – TanLapia / TFFA
Keynote Speeches (Plenary Keynotes 2 & 3)
Environmental Stewardship as the Foundation of a Sustainable Blue Economy
Innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic transformation across Tanzania and East Africa
Side Event 1: Stock Assessment in Lake Tanganyika
Lunch Break and Exhibition Viewing
Main Hall Keynote Speeches
Aquaculture Transformation in Tanzania
Afternoon Tea Break and Networking
Parallel Scientific Sessions (Themes 1-3)
Each presentation is allocated 10 minutes (8 mins presentation + 2 mins Q&A).
Theme 1: Blue Economy and Ocean Governance (and overflow Theme 2)
Institutional dynamics shaping fisheries officers collaborative capacity in small pelagic fisheries co-management in coastal Tanzania
Evaluation of Factors Influencing the Persistence of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing among the Small Pelagic Fishery along the Coast of Tanzania
Contrasting Drivers and Solutions to IUU Fishing by Small-scale and Large-scale Fisheries in Tanzania: A Systematic Evidence Analysis
Functional Zoning and Multi-objective Collaborative Management of Lake Victoria Basin for Sustainable development: A perspective based on localization and integration of SDGs
Bridging Fragmented Blue Economy Governance in Tanzania: The Role of University Ambassadors in Youth Participation and Knowledge Translation