- Insufficient capital to buy the more expensive equipment, which sea fishing requires.
- East Africa has a regular coastline, especially along Tanzania’s coastline, thus lack a suitable breeding grounds for fish.
- East Africa has a narrow deep continental shelf, which is not suitable for the existence of plankton hence less fish.
- Sea/marine fishing is not popular amongst the people of East Africa hence low demand.
- East Africa faces competition in the open sea from developed countries whose fishermen have advanced fishing equipment and this discourages fishermen.
- The fishermen of East Africa lack knowledge on deep-sea fishing
