DODOMA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Fishing activities in Lake Tanganyika, shared by Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, will be closed from May 15 to Aug. 15 to allow for fish breeding, a senior official said Tuesday.
The four countries have jointly decided to close fishing during this period to sustainably manage the lake's fisheries, Tanzanian Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Abdallah Ulega told parliament in Dodoma, the capital of Tanzania.
The closure was announced as Ulega presented budget estimates for his ministry for the 2024/2025 financial year, emphasizing the shared interest among the member states in conserving, protecting and sustainably managing the lake and its basin's resources.
He said that international obligations and standards necessitate the conservation, protection and sustainable management of transboundary natural resources and their environment.
However, the decision to close fishing has faced opposition from many lawmakers, who argue that it will deprive thousands of fishermen, particularly in Tanzania, of their livelihoods, which depend on the lake. ■
