By Hope Nyondo, Contributor
The Department of Fisheries in Mangochi District says it is working tirelessly to ensure that this year’s Biomass Survey ends in time so that it does not collide with the end of the closed period for fishing which starts on 1st November in Lake Malawi.
Principal Fisheries Officer in the Department, who is also team leader for the 2023 Biomass Survey, Salimu M’balaka said this on Wednesday at the Fisheries Research Station in Mangochi-Monkey Bay while commenting on the ongoing exercise which Started on 28th October.
Among others, the Survey seeks to establish numbers of fish species available in Lake Malawi, establish the quality of water in the lake, data, which he says is essential to policy makers and researchers who also contribute largely to fish management such as on the restoration of depleted fish species.
“The exercise which is being conducted with our Mozambican counterparts making it one of its kind due to involvement of its regional partners, will also look into the number of boats that can be allocated to harvest the fish in the lake’’ M’balaka said.
M’balaka further said the department is committed to ensure that the exercise should be concluded by November 30 , 2023 so that fishing period is opened for commercial fishers on 1st December 2023 despite some challenges the department is facing during the survey.
He has therefore hailed Beach Village Committees along Lake Malawi for their Cooperation towards this year’s Biomass Survey adding that this will supplement to the smooth running of the exercise for better results.
The survey is being conducted with support from Refresh Project a project that strives to restore and protect fish species in various lakes in Malawi with funding from USAID.
Elijah Katantha is the Refresh project Technician for Mangochi District and he says the project is interested to protect Aquatic species hence the support considering the important role the fishing industry plays to the contribution of the country’s economy.
Lake Malawi is the only water body that has more fish species among Fresh Water lakes in the world.
