I am hearing some disturbing rumors coming out of Tanzania regarding some prime areas. Some of which are backed by documentation.

I was forward a letter last week. It was from the Ministry of Natural Resources & Tourism. It says in no uncertain terms that the following areas have been assigned to a different company, Marera Safari Lodges & Tours (T), LTD. The areas involved are Rungwa Rungwa GR W& Muhesi GR W. It is my understanding that these are both prime areas of some of the larger companies like TGT.

Today, I am hearing rumors of even more of a shake up with some really big name areas being reallocated. I hear through the grapevine that a company I have never heard of , Bushman Safaris, has gotten Maswa GR, Rungwa Rungwa GR E and Lunda Mtera. I think, but am not sure, that the first two are currently hunted by Robin Hurt & TGT. The last is hunted by a French guy. I forget his name. However, I know they have taken some extraordinary trophies. I heat these are effective in 2013.

Does anyone know if this is true? What is going on over there?

If companies like TGT are being ousted, it can't be good for TZ in the long term.

I know there are several companies for sale over there. I wonder what all of this means?

Thanks.

http://in2eastafrica.net/tanza...s-60-hunting-blocks/



Tanzania: Ministry allocates 60 hunting blocks


The government has allocated 60 hunting blocks to professional hunting firms for a period between 2013 and 2018.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism said in a statement issued in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday that 51 blocks or 85 per cent will be owned by local firms and nine or 15 per cent by foreign companies. There are 159 hunting blocks in the country.

However, it said that there are 13 companies owning more than one hunting block. Some are reportedly holding up to five blocks depending on the applications, while 14 other hunting blocks were not allocated after the applicants failed to meet conditions.

“The government is considering ways of improving the hunting blocks that registered drop in the number of game and resources due to causes including livestock grazing, farming and building of houses,” reads part of the statement.

It explained that through the Wildlife Act, the Wildlife Department has continued to co-ordinate consumptive utilisation and control of non consumptive utilisation. Professional hunting being one of the means of utilisation.

Initially the hunting business was managed by hunting firms, many of them were foreign companies but complaints led to enactment of the Wildlife Act, to address controversial issues.

Between 2008 and January 2011, re-assessment of the resourcefulness of hunting blocks including biodiversity, size of grazing land and availability of water and accessibility of the area was carried out by the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI).

Other duties included setting of new standards and criteria to be applied during assessment of applicants in addition to appointment of select committee members.

Eleven members were appointed. These are Bakari Mbano (chairman), Dr Simon Mduma , Edward Msyani, Saidi Nzori, Allan Kijazi and Obed Mbangwa.

Others are Steven Ihema, Mary Mwanjelwa, Prof. Letisia Rutashobya, Daniel Nsanzugwanko and Beno Malisa.

Allocation of hunting blocks was preceded by an official announcement by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Ezekiel Maige, in February, this year followed by invitation of bids for hunting blocks mid-February and June, 2011.

The committee interviewed all 108 applicants countrywide, verified possession of recommended equipment, 1bn/- bond for foreign companies and 300m/- for local companies.

However, priority was given to companies with impressive tax paying record, support to anti-poaching, improvement of the infrastructure, honouring of corporate social responsibility and promotion of the country in US and European tourism markets.

By BILHAM KIMATI, Tanzania Daily News

AWA

Reading between the lines of Kathi's article, it seems the desired result would be to have much greater quota harvest than is currently happening. Killing near 100% of you quota will increase the amount of cash flow. Companies that are investing in anti-poaching and being conservative on there off take are geting in the way of somones comfy life.

Jeff

the more things change( in Tz.) the more they remain the same--- F---ED UP( from a political perspective). maybe they should try closing lion hunting in the middle of the season- oops, they already tried that. maybe they should try suddenly jacking up the government fees and trophy fees-oops they already tried that. damn glad i managed to hunt there 8 years ago before government greed got totally out of hand.

Jdollar : I agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, I think there is more to this. From what I am hearing areas are being taken from good operators to those politically connected. From what I am told, this includes some with a questionable past. For example , they have not paid trophy fees. I can only speculate why that might occur . It is Africa after all.

I hate to say it but I think this is the beginning of the end of TZ .

Of course, we in the U.S. are far more advanced than third world counries like Tanzania.

Here, this would be called the Wildlife Protection Reform Act.

In reality, it would allow the politicians to take stock of which opeators had properly supported the politicians' election revenues (or their retirement funds).

After this deck of cards has been reshuffled, it will be interesting to see who has what. It should be easy to tell what is going on by who is awarded the concessions.

Hi Larry,

Just to clear up any unnecessary rumors...

Indeed Hillary Daffi - an operator convicted of having breached wildlife laws a year or so ago and subsequently let off with a fine - has been issued a block in Muhesi Game Reserve from 2013 to 2018. Muhesi Game Reserve is currently a single block and is being operated by Robin Hurt Safaris this season. Wildlife Division has sub-divided the block into two so as to be able to issue one of these to Hillary! TIA

As for Bushman Safaris, remember GN159? They were the orchestrators of that mess. They have been issued Maswa Game Reserve North, currently being operated by TBGS.

None of this you stated has impacted on TGT.

It's not over till the fat lady sings.......

Thank you for the clarification.

I am on my I phone and can't look. What is GN159 if I remember what you wrote.

I am glad to hear that TGT has not been impacted . I thought they had Maswa or at least part ?

2007 fee increases.......

Yes TGT has 2/3 of Maswa GR and the Makao open area.

If it is going to get funky over there, I am glad I had a phenomenal hunt in Masailand last year and looking forward to my upcoming hunt w Mike Fell this year.

Not good...

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by RichP470:
my upcoming hunt w Mike Fell this year.

Fabulous! What concession are you guys hunting? Mike's a good guy!

Brett

I know I won't be paying exorbitant TZ fees to hunt with no name operators. I doubt I'm the only one.