TAFIRI launches special laboratory for studying effects of ocean acidification on marine life

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Bashiru Ally Kakurwa, has launched a laboratory at the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI) dedicated to studying ocean acidification and its effects on marine life, in a move expected to strengthen the scientific foundation for the sustainable development of Tanzania’s blue economy.

The laboratory was inaugurated at TAFIRI’s headquarters in Kunduchi, Dar es Salaam. The investment aims to enhance Tanzania’s capacity to protect marine resources, improve investment decisions in the blue economy, and sustain the economic and social benefits derived from these resources.

The facility is part of efforts to advance the National and International Ocean Acidification Research Programme, established in 2019, which has supported the collection of data on changes in ocean water conditions and their effects on marine organisms.

Through the laboratory, TAFIRI scientists will conduct experiments to investigate the effects of ocean acidification, rising water temperatures and declining oxygen levels, which are associated with climate change. The research will help identify marine species most at risk and assess measures to improve their resilience, particularly in aquaculture.

Speaking about the importance of the facility, TAFIRI Director General, Dr Ismael Kimirei, said researchers expect to identify aquatic species capable of tolerating ocean acidification, higher water temperatures and low oxygen levels. The findings will help fishers and aquaculture farmers select production activities suited to their local environmental conditions.

Dr Kimirei explained that ocean acidification is largely caused by seawater absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This process can affect the growth and survival of various marine organisms, particularly those that depend on calcium carbonate to form their shells and skeletons.

He added that researchers would conduct experiments on organisms such as crabs, prawns, oysters and seaweed to determine which species can withstand changing ocean conditions. The findings will be used to advise communities on suitable species for aquaculture and seaweed farming in their respective areas.

Meanwhile, Joseph Olila, Marine and Coastal Conservation Manager at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Tanzania, said the programme had cost approximately 500m/-, of which 151m/- had been spent on constructing and equipping the laboratory.

Olila added that the programme also includes research buoys used to monitor changes in ocean conditions.

He said the initiative is being implemented in partnership with the government through TAFIRI, with funding from the Embassy of Ireland in Tanzania. It aims to strengthen the country’s capacity to monitor changes in the marine environment and use research findings to inform decisions on marine resource management and the development of the blue economy.

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