By CHRIS NDHLOVU –
GOVERNMENT has called for concerted efforts and positive collective citizen action in stopping the depletion of fish stocks in the natural water bodies of Luapula province.
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Chishimba Kambwili said stopping the use of mosquito nets for fishing should be every citizen’s responsibility because if the trend is not checked, all the fish in the water bodies would be wiped out.
. Kambwili
Mr Kambwili said this in Nchelenge yesterday when he addressed some fish traders at the District Commissioner’s Office grounds.
The minister said Nchelenge used to be the fish centre for Zambia in the past but the situation had changed.
He said fish in Nchelenge was currently fetching K80 per five breams and wondered what the price would be if transported to Mansa, the Copperbelt and Lusaka.
In response, Headman Chabilika implored Government to deploy the marine into Nchelenge to patrol the lake and prevent the fish mongers from using the wrong gear for fishing.
Headman Chabilika said the use of the Village Management Committees (VMCs) for controlling the situation had failed and the power to control the mongers should be transferred to the Village Headmen for effective results.
The Headman also disclosed that the VMCs were also corrupt because they had no financial incentives as they were doing their work.
He said the confiscated wrong fishing gear were being sold back the fish mongers in order to earn financial gain.
He said illegal permanent settlement in the fish breeding area and the establishment of Kanakashi primary school had compounded the situation because the illegal settlers’ sole activity for survival was fishing.
Headwoman Kashishi said the fish ban in the area was not being followed as fishing takes place even during the ban which was the reason there was a lot of dry fish offloaded on the market.
She added that fishermen have filled the entire water bodies with mosquito nets which was a sure sign that all the fish was on its way to extinction in the district.— ZANIS
