Poaching depletes fish stock levels in dams

GOVERNMENT has expressed concern over depleting stock levels of fish in water bodies
due to overfishing linked to poaching activities amid calls for increased compliance
enforcement.

Responding during question time in Parliament, Environment, Climate, Tourism and
Hospitality Industry Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu, said stock levels of fish were depleting,
especially along Lake Kariba.

“The first issue to acknowledge is that indeed our stock levels of fish are depleting. It has
been happening for quite some time and the main reason has been overfishing but also
the need to increase enforcement expenditure, especially from fish poaching,” he said.

The minister said as part of strategies to curb fish poaching the ministry has introduced
what they call “moonlight days” where they set aside specific days when fishing is not
allowed.

“This has been successfully implemented on the Zimbabwean side (of Kariba Dam) to
give time for our fish to reproduce. In a month, fishing takes place for around 22 days.
We have certain days that we allow for reproduction,” he said.

Speaking on the same issue, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and
Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, said fish stocks have been
going down, especially at Kariba and indicated that the Government would work closely
with Zambia as this is an international issue.

“This is both a national and international issue because we share Kariba with our
neighbour Zambia. We will be working with our Zambian counterparts in making sure
that we conserve the fish stocks by also restocking Kariba, especially when it comes to
kapenta because kapenta used to have several tonnes of harvest from the 1990s but from
the 1990s to now, it has been going down,” said Prof Murwira.
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Lupane villagers fishing at Bubi Lupane Dam
He said from a policy perspective, it is Government’s policy to ensure sustainability so
that the country continues having the required fish production.

“However, when it comes to areas where there is depletion like in Kariba, we will be
working with our counterparts in making sure that we bring back the fish population and
even begin to increase the fish population in Lake Kariba,” said the minister.

Last year the Government made interventions towards resolving the boundary dispute
between Zimbabwe and Zambia along Lake Kariba, which was threatening the fisheries
industries as fishermen from both countries invaded breeding and nursery grounds in
the lake.

There had been an increase in the number of fishermen in Lake Kariba and most of them
did not respect the fish breeding boundaries, and this was blamed for reduced kapenta
output.

Official reports show that there has been an excess of 1 400 fishing boats operating in the
lake, affecting the kapenta stocks, and working with the Zambian counterparts will go a
long way in making sure that the two countries conserve the fish stocks.-The Chronicle