Kapenta industry under threat

Lake Kariba has become a victim of overfishing with over 1 100 commercial fishing rigs exploiting various types of fish in the world's second largest man made water body.

The lake has a maximum carrying capacity of 500 commercial fishing rigs but somehow the authorities in Zimbabwe and Zambia the two countries that share the dam have allowed the number of rigs to more than double, resulting in overfishing in Lake Kariba.

There were 725 Kapenta rigs on the Zimbabwean side of the lake in 2014, against a carrying capacity of 406. What it means is that the Zambian side now has about 375 fishing rigs.

To sustainably exploit fish in the lake, both countries must trim the rig population to a combined 500.

Obviously, this will result in serious job losses. Of the recommended 500 rigs, Zimbabwe should operate 275 while Zambia must have 225. These ratios are based on the surface area of the lake occupied by each country.