Preliminary findings by the Department of Fisheries in Malawi and Oceanographic Institute of Mozambique have established that the famous chambo fish is increasingly recovering on Lake Malawi.
The department conducted a 32-day joint biomass assessment with Oceanographic Institute of Mozambique on Lake Malawi in Karonga, Nkhatabay, Salima, Mangochi and on Lake Niassa in Dangula in Mozambique to establish biomass levels of fish, fish species as well as quality of water on the two lakes.
Disseminating the findings to stakeholders in Mangochi on Monday, Director of Fisheries Dr. Hestings Zidana said the department was excited to note that chambo, which is fish of high economic value to Malawi, is bouncing back on Lake Malawi as compared to three years ago.
‘‘As compared to our 2020 survey where we discovered decreasing of chambo fish, we have seen the increased stock of young fish on Lake Malawi, a development which is very exciting because if we can have a lot of chambo in the lake, it means that we will have increased income for the country on top of improved livelihoods of communities,’’ he said.
Zidana attributed community managed fish sanctuaries as a factor leading to the recovery of chambo fish on lake Malawi.
‘‘For the past three years, the department and a number of partners designated some protected breeding areas for the fish across the lake which is leading to the recovery of fish,’’ he said, adding that currently Malawi harvests a total of 200,000 metric tons of fish per year, which includes 187,000 metric tons from the lake, and 12,000 tons from ponds.
The survey involved scientists from Mzuzu University, University of Malawi, Malawi University of Science and Technology as well as University of Cambridge, amongst others.
US Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded REFRESH project, African Development Bank (FDB) Sustainability Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Project, as well as Chipoka Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Project were among those that funded the survey.
USAID Mission Director Pamela Fessenden said biomass survey is essential for sustainability of fish.
Chief of Party for REFRESH, Dr. Daniel Jamu, said that recovery of chambo fish on Lake Malawi is good news among partners that supported government’s efforts in conserving fish on the lake and added that REFRESH was working with the fishing community to become part and parcel of the management of fishery resources.
Reported by Bishop Witmos
