Project to promote fishing in Nkhata Bay

Restoring Fisheries for Sustainable Livelihood in Lake Malawi Programme (Refresh) has embarked on a variety of activities in Nkhata Bay to boost fish productivity.

The project engages communities in the district’s traditional authorities on the importance of conserving natural resources.

In an interview, Nkhata Bay district fisheries officer Dellings Kamenya said the project will help fill the gaps in the Fisheries Department.

“Due to inadequate resources, as a sector, we have been experiencing challenges in reaching out to far lakeshore areas as such our monitoring was limited,” he said. 

Kamenya also expressed concern over fishers’ failure to adhere to fisheries laws despite interventions to encourage sustainable fishing.

Pact Malawi technical officer Anthony Ghambi, whose organisation is implementing Refresh programme, said they expect to implement more activities in the next quarter to ensure high level of adherence and understanding of sustainable fishing among communities.

As regards the increase in commercial fishing, he said they will provide fishing communities with opportunities to start other businesses to reduce overdependence on fishing.

Refresh project will largely focus on ecosystem-based approach in the enhancement of fisheries and restoration of fisheries resource.