Zimbabwe - Zambia kapenta rivalries escalate

GOVERNMENT is working towards resolving the boundary dispute between Zimbabwe and Zambia along Lake Kariba, which is threatening the fisheries industries as fishermen from both countries invade breeding and nursery grounds in the lake.

Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Minister DrAnxious Masuka revealed this during his engagement with Binga Kutajana Kwesu Kapenta Fisheries Association on challenges affecting the fisheries industry last Thursday.

There has been an increase in the number of fishermen in Lake Kariba and most of them do not respect the fish breeding boundaries, and this has been blamed for reduced kapenta output, which could further worsen if the situation remains unsolved.

Dr Masuka said there is an excess of 1 400 fishing boats operating in the lake, affecting the kapenta stocks.

"We are trying as much as possible to assist and one of the things we are doing is to fix the boundary between us and Zambia.

There is 11km in Lake Kariba under contestation and our surveyor general is in the process of putting demarcations in every kilometre so you can see the mast that you are going into Zambia and the Zambians can see that they are coming this way.

Now that the elections are over in Zambia, we are hoping we would be able to meet with them so that we allow the breeding spaces to be respected for us to work out a plan to gradually restock," said Dr Masuka.

He said Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona would soon introduce an electronic system to register all boats operating on Lake Kariba.

He said regional integration is important in making fisheries a sustainable business.

"I'm also hoping that we will be able to win against the Zambians on the same issue because we must jointly manage this to improve your livelihoods.

This is a business and we need to see it as such.

While it is treated as communal fishing on the Zambian side, we hope they can see it as more than communal fishing and make it a business.

But a business has to be managed sustainably," he said.

The association's secretary-general Mr Moffart Mutale said the kapenta industry was being threatened by an increase in fishermen that don't respect fishing boundaries.

"We are facing various challenges and one of them is that while farming is a business in Zimbabwe, our counterparts in Zambia do it on a subsistence basis, so they don't follow regulations.

The number of boats has increased on the Zambian side and some of the fishermen are now invading the breeding spaces. This is forcing us to do the same.

If this does not change this business will become non-viable in future," said Mutale.

"So, we need Government to assist us in that regard.

We might even need time to stop fishing just to ensure that we don't affect the breeding process and this should be done by both Zimbabwe and Zambian fishermen."