The actual value of resources is a key element in designing policies that aim at
sustainable management of those resources. Often, however, the valuation has been
based on market benefits. This approach to resource valuation is inadequate and
represents the “tip of the iceberg,” necessitating need for actual valuation. Fish ponds
are one of the resources that require the actual value of their benefits. This can lead to
sustainable management so that the community can enjoy their long-term benefits.
This study was conducted in Morogoro and Dar es Salaam Regions, Tanzania to
identify the actual benefits of fish ponds, taking into consideration the use and nonuse
benefits. A survey design was adopted to collect data from 410 respondents
randomly sampled from selected villages. Instruments used for data collection were: a
questionnaire, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and secondary sources. Data were
analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results indicate that
fish ponds have a variety of benefits ranging from direct and indirect to intrinsic
benefits. Traditionally, however, valuation has been based on direct monetary
statistics, which represent a meagre value of fish ponds. The reason why most of the
indirect and intrinsic benefits have not been incorporated in the valuation is because
some of the benefits were unknown and, if known, were difficult to be assigned a
value. This result suggests that the first step in actual valuation should be to identify
benefits accruing to fish ponds and then to devise an adequate mean of pricing the
non-marketed benefits. Knowing these will enable planners and decision-makers to
accord fish ponds the importance they deserve. Similarly, efforts should be directed
toward: (a) improving fish production through the reduction of the risk of losing fish,
shortening the culture cycle to target market size fish, use of low cost inputs and
integrating fish farming within the farming system, (b) increasing the market for
farmed fish through improving roads, providing information on fish prices and the
nutritional value of fish, and forming marketing groups to lower transport and
transaction costs, and (c) identifying “farmer-friendly” harvesting strategies which
will make farmed fish readily available. All these together would increase the value of
fish ponds.