Aquaculture projects in DR Congo: new fisheries law and site evidence
DR Congo replaced its 1937 fisheries decree with a new framework law on fisheries and aquaculture promulgated in July 2026; confirm its implementing texts and the responsible ministry's current licensing procedure before committing to a site. Separately, an environmental certificate from the Congolese Environment Agency (ACE) is required for activities likely to affect the environment. Compare pond, cage or lake-based systems using measured site data, not an assumed national production benchmark.
CDF · Congolese franc
t/year · kg · ha · m³ · m³/h · °C · kW · kWh
A new fisheries and aquaculture law replaces the 1937 decree
- Law No. 26/029 of 27 July 2026 sets out the fundamental principles governing fishing and aquaculture in DR Congo, replacing the decree of 21 April 1937 which had no specific aquaculture provisions; it covers exploitation, management and sustainable use of fishery resources for food security and sector development [1](https://leganews.pro/articles/01a12225-4b89-7f03-b2d8-79c1a1b089fb). The law was adopted by the National Assembly on 25 May 2026 and comprises 102 articles across nine titles covering conservation, sustainable use, protection and governance, reflecting the diversity of DRC's aquatic ecosystems [3](https://friendsofthecongo.org/the-drc-adopts-a-new-law-on-fisheries-and-aquaculture/).
- Because this is a new framework law, implementing decrees, licensing fees and the designated competent authority for aquaculture permits may still be in development; confirm the current procedure and office in writing with the ministry responsible for fisheries before relying on any older practice.
Environmental certification and site/water evidence
- The Congolese Environment Agency (Agence Congolaise de l'Environnement, ACE), created by decree in 2019, is responsible for environmental and social evaluation of projects likely to affect the environment and issues the environmental certificate required to legally operate such an activity [1](https://medd.gouv.cd/ace/). Its published process requires requesting Terms of Reference, carrying out an EIES or simplified notice (NIES) through an approved firm, and obtaining ACE validation before the certificate is issued [3](https://acecd.cd/services/certificat).
- For a pond-based tilapia or catfish project (the most common commercial model), provide site soil, dry-season water availability and intake/drainage data. For a lake-based cage project (e.g. on Lake Albert or Lake Tanganyika), provide bathymetry, access and water-quality evidence and a mooring plan; do not infer carrying capacity from cage dimensions alone.
Equipment delivery logistics
- Request delivery to the actual farm, including the agreed route from the entry port or airport, inland transport, unloading and a spare-parts plan appropriate to the site's access constraints. A port or border price is not an installed-farm price; confirm transit, customs and import procedures independently.
- Compare pond liners, aeration, cage and mooring hardware as separate work packages against the measured site conditions. No production, survival or revenue figure is implied by this guide.
DR Congo project brief checklist
For the DR Congo site, include province and coordinates, legal applicant and site/water rights, species/life stage, intended annual harvest and peak biomass, fisheries/aquaculture authorisation status under Law 26/029 and ACE environmental certificate status, measured seasonal water data, intake/discharge or mooring layout, power and backup, access/delivery point, quote currency and budget. Attach the ministry correspondence on the applicable licensing route and the ACE Terms of Reference or certificate documentation described above, and mark every unconfirmed assumption. Separate studies/applications, civil works, equipment, installation and acceptance responsibilities. FishMatch reviews commercial projects of USD 250,000 or more by hand; smaller projects can still use the free planning tools.
Request private project reviewCalculate from your measured site inputs
DR Congo buyer questions
Which local issue should I resolve first in DR Congo?
Confirm the current fisheries/aquaculture authorisation procedure with the ministry responsible for fisheries under Law No. 26/029 of 27 July 2026, and request the Terms of Reference for an ACE environmental certificate before site works begin.
Does a recirculating system remove site and water requirements?
No. Confirm site use, water abstraction, discharge, animal health and the applicable environmental procedure separately. The designer must use the actual species, water resource and permit conditions.
Will FishMatch expose supplier contacts or forward the brief automatically?
No. Project requests are private and human-reviewed; supplier identities and contacts remain confidential and there is no automatic supplier routing. Procurement assistance is for commercial projects of USD 250,000 or more; the planning tools remain free.
Institutional and legal references
- Loi n°26/029 du 27 juillet 2026 portant principes fondamentaux relatifs à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
- Friends of the Congo — The DRC adopts a new law on fisheries and aquaculture
- Agence Congolaise de l'Environnement (ACE) — MEDD-NEC
- ACE — Procédure d'obtention du Certificat Environnemental
Prepared 16 October 2026 from the linked institutional and legal references. This is editorial planning guidance, not a legal opinion, local engineering design, approval or independent expert sign-off. Laws and administrative procedures can change; confirm the consolidated rules and site-specific applicability before committing capital. No verified local tariffs, project prices, production gains or market-demand measurements are asserted.