Fish farmers in Mulanje have decried persistent theft of fish in their ponds, a development they say needs police intervention.
Speaking during a fact-finding mission on Friday to assess the gravity of the situation, Mulanje district fisheries officer Clesensio Likongwe told a delegation from GiZ sponsored Aquaculture Value Chain Project and Department of Fisheries that despite the rising cases of theft, police have not done much to help.
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He said to help tame the malpractice at community level, fish farmers, in collaboration with council secretariat and local leaders are formulating by-laws that demand one to have a permit for selling farm fish.
Said Likongwe: “Fish from ponds is easily distinguishable from those caught from lakes and rivers; hence, easy to trace on the market when sold fresh than processed.”
Group village head Loben said they will be sensitising communities to the vice.
In his remarks, Mulanje Police officer in charge Edwin Magalasi, while affirming their determination to pursue such cases, urged fish farmers to upgrade their security systems in the fish ponds.
He observed that most of the fish ponds are built in open isolated spaces,making them susceptible totheft.
Traditional authorities Chikumbu, Mthiramanja Njema and Mabuka are the worst-hit by fish theft.
