The Malawi Fisheries Department has requested for a revised Fisheries Conservation Management Act, saying the current one has been a problem in the efforts to end illegal fishing in the country
This was discussed during a four-day workshop under a project called Restoring Fisheries for Sustainable Livelihoods in Lake Malawi (REFRESH), with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the Association of Environmental Journalists (AEJ).
In an interview with this publication, Principal Fisheries Officer in the Department of Fisheries, Salim M’balaka, said that the act has been in use since 1997 and as a result, the weak regulations contained in the act cannot contribute to the meaningful fight against illegal fishing, a situation that will see the country losing the battle against this malpractice.
M’balaka urged those in authority to come up with a revised act and include stiff penalties for illegal fishing.
“We are currently working with the arm of government and the judiciary as you know this process takes a lot of time. Apart from these two arms of government, we are also working with other partners like USAID to help us in pushing for this because as it is, it is government to government, but if we engage other partners like the media, we are assured of your support to push for this revised act,” he explained.
On her part, PACT Communications Specialist, Veronica Hami, said that through the project they are working with youths by empowering them in entrepreneurship and businesses to divert them from illegal fishing.
She said apart from that, the organization has been engaging members of communities to venture into farming and bio-chemical fertilizers, among other things.
Secretary-General for the Association of Environmental Journalists (AEJ), Charles Mkoka, commended PACT for organizing the workshop, saying the media practitioners have gained knowledge and skills in reporting issues to do with fisheries.
He then encouraged the journalists to write stories that were in-depth with facts so that the general public at large would know more about fishing.
The refresh project is a five-year project that started in 2019 and it is ending in 2024.
The project is being implemented in Mangochi, Dedza, Salima, Nkhotakota, Likoma, Nkhatabay, and Karonga districts.
