Fishing for the Future

There is a fine line between bountiful fishing and overfishing. Once that line is crossed, it can be difficult – and sometimes even impossible – to rebound. For many years, the fish of the Zambezi River network have been bountiful, and therefore, played a huge role in the local livelihoods. To ensure that fish are here to stay, AWF is helping locals to begin monitoring local fish catches with plans for developing a sustainable fishing industry.

Fisheries along the Zambezi River and its tributaries play a huge part in the livelihoods of local people. In fact, the upper part of the river alone feeds 300,000 people. The sardine catch in Lake Kariba yields more than 30,000 tons of fish annually – amounting to more than $55 million a year.

But, like all natural resources, overuse can ultimately take a toll. And, in the Zambezi River system which spans eight nations, limited resource monitoring systems are in place to ensure sustainable use of the fisheries. AWF - with support from The Nature Conservancy - is helping to change that in hopes that fish will continue to be a mainstay of this region well into the future.

To manage the region’s fisheries effectively, to monitor water quality, to keep track of fish yields and fishing activities, a multi-national management capacity must be created – and that is exactly what AWF and partners are working towards.

AWF created the Aquatic Resources Working Group (ARWG), a group of technical experts drawn from the respective fisheries departments in five countries where AWF works: Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Their first priority was to gain a greater understanding of the fish that swim in the Zambezi River system as well as a clearer picture of the river system itself.

Specifically, the ARWG continues to examine and document migration patterns and home ranges for selected fish species in relation to habitat characteristics; record the effects of fluctuations in water levels, temperature changes and seasonality on fish migration behavior and breeding; document cross-border fish movements; and much more.

Although data collection will continue, the ARWG has already collected a significant amount of data. This research is helping to shape a co-management system for all stakeholders and all the countries that share the incredible bounty of the Zambezi River. Now underway are pilot business ventures with fisheries and the creation of a formal fishing association in which registered fishermen drawn from the local community in Mozambique will undergo training in business skills, best-practice fishing, energy-efficient fish processing and marketing. The future is looking bright for both the fish and the communities along the Zambezi River system.