Tanzania has several large lakes that serve as sources of fresh water and fisheries:

Lake	Regions Found	Area (sq. km)	Fish Production (tons)
Lake Victoria	Mwanza, Kagera, Mara, Simiyu, Geita	35,088	2,451,296
Lake Tanganyika	Kigoma, Katavi, Rukwa	13,450	295,000
Lake Nyasa	Mbeya, Njombe, Ruvuma	8,105	168,000
Lake Rukwa	Rukwa, Katavi, Songwe	5,760	-
Lake Eyasi	Manyara	1,050	-
Lake Natron	Arusha	1,040	-
Lake Manyara	Manyara, Arusha	230.5	-

Tanzania has several large rivers that supply water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use. Some of the major rivers include:

1. Ruvuma River
2. Rufiji River
3. Pangani River
4. Ruaha River
5. Wami River
6. Malagarasi River
7. Kagera River
8. Mara River
9. Ruvu River
10. Kilombero River

1. Tanzania has a coastline of 1,424 km along the Indian Ocean.
2. The Indian Ocean waters around Tanzania are divided into:
   • 64,000 sq. km of territorial waters
   • 223,000 sq. km of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Fish is a source of food (nutrition), income, and employment. It is estimated that Lakes Victoria, Tanganyika, Nyasa, and Rukwa contain more than 5,828,592 tons of fish. Statistics show that more than four million people are involved in fishing, fish processing, making fishing gear and doing small businesses in the areas surrounding such lakes and the ocean. The fishing industry contributed approximately 3 percent to the country's total income between 2016/2017 and 2018/2019.

Benefits of fishing

Fishing has many benefits at individual and national levels. Some of these benefits are as follows:

1. Source of food for humans and animals;
2. Provides employment opportunities for Tanzanians through fishing and through selling fish and other products from the ocean, lakes, and rivers;
3. The government gets revenues from taxes on fish sales and other products; and
4. Availability of decorative materials from marine products such as cowry shells, oyster shells, ceramic, cup, and sapphire.

Water is also used as a source of electricity. Other sources are gas, wind, solar and biogas. Hydro electric power is the most affordable of all.

Various ways can be used to conserve the water resource. Some of these include the following:

1. Having an inclusive water policy for the sustainable use of water. This policy will involve other sectors which use water sustainably;
2. Conserving and preserving water sources;
3. Harvesting water during the rainy season and storing it for future usage;
4. Recycling water for use in other activities such as irrigation;
5. Raising public awareness of best practice to conserve and use water;
6. Inspecting and repairing water supply infrastructure to avoid water losses;
7. Using best practice to irrigate, such as drip irrigation in tree gardens, vegetables, flowers, and fruits. This type of irrigation uses less water;
8. Prohibiting industrial and domestic sewage from flowing to water sources; and
9. Encouraging environmental conservation, especially around water sources.

Using the water resource faces various challenges. Some of them are as follows:

1. Destruction of water sources due to unsustainable land use such as human activities along rivers, lakes, ocean, and ponds;
2. Deterioration and deliberate destruction of water infrastructure that causes water leakage, hence the shortage of water to customers;
3. Inadequate public education on best practice for conserving and using water;
4. Water demand is higher than the available supply;
5. Lack of water points for livestock, which leads to the destruction of water sources;
6. Inadequate technology for harvesting water during rainy seasons;
7. Climate change leading to severe droughts and increased water scarcity;
8. Industrial pollution due to the flow of harmful chemicals into water sources; and
9. Deforestation along rivers, lakes, and ponds which destroys water sources.

The following are strategies for addressing the challenges of using the water resource:

1. Implementing policies, rules, and procedures for efficient water use;
2. Conserving and maintaining water sources;
3. Reporting the loss of water to the responsible authorities;
4. Conserving water by preventing water leakages at home, in public offices, and in factories;
5. Constructing reservoirs for livestock to minimise the destruction of water sources by livestock;
6. Providing education on good fishing methods based on the rules, regulations and procedures to fishermen in order to reduce illegal and unsustainable fishing practices such as the use of dynamite and poison;
7. Sensitizing fishing stakeholders on fishery policies, laws, and regulations; effects of dynamite fishing; and benefits of sustainable fishing;
8. Conserving the environment, for example, by avoiding water pollution;
9. Promoting integrity and patriotism in order to avoid the destruction of water sources; and
10. Training adequate fishery officers to sensitize the public on sustainable fishing methods and practices.