Fish Research & Monitoring

They may not be as captivating as gorillas, or as majestic as lions, but fish are wildlife too. In the massive Zambezi River system fish are not only vital to the ecosystem, but are also a staple in the diet of millions of people.

A growing population and poor agricultural conditions have caused increasing pressure on the fish stocks. Local people have responded by reverting to the use of unsustainable fishing techniques.

In hopes of ensuring that these fish stocks will continue to be around for many years to come, AWF has embarked on extensive research and monitoring efforts in the Zambezi River, its tributaries, and related reservoirs.

To better understand the fishery dynamics, AWF founded a regional Aquatic Resources Working Group (ARWG), and worked with other stakeholders to conduct several aquatic biodiversity surveys from 2003 to 2007 in the Upper and Middle sections of the Zambezi. A total of 210 sites were sampled, and all but five species previously known from the Upper Zambezi were recorded.

Field observations made during the surveys confirmed that the fish resources are under pressure that is negatively impacting the fisheries and the biodiversity of the Zambezi River.

For the first time in history real data became available on the effect of the human population on the Zambezi River system. This data includes the use of small-mesh nets that capture juvenile fish before they’ve had a chance to mature and create offspring, deforestation (which leads to erosion and massive deposits of silt in the river), and the over-fishing that springs from Africa’s growing appetite for protein.

The results of this research help AWF and its partners guide fisheries policy and legislation, and helps local communities create fishing strategies that are not just profitable, but truly sustainable.

It has been said that if you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime. Given the current pressures on fish stock, however, just teaching a man to fish is no longer enough. AWF believes that teaching people to fish sustainably, and conserve fish stocks, is of critical importance if these resources are to continue to feed humankind into the future.

AWF is committed to establishing sound management practices by engaging local communities, and encouraging them to conserve shared fisheries along the Zambezi River. AWF has documented the impact that the current unregulated fishing practices are having on biodiversity and threatened fish species, and has taken action to get fishermen to use legal fishing methods, and fish in specific zones that allow fish populations to recover.

These actions are, over time, expected to improve the livelihoods of the communities that depend on these fisheries for their food security by enforcing sustainable management practices that will allow the people to continue to fish. Key management practices, such as protecting fish breeding areas, can quickly result in improved fish stocks and provide higher fishing returns. The zoning of non-fishing breeding and nursery areas has already been piloted in the lower Zambezi areas covering Mbire in Zimbabwe, and the Magoe and Zumbu districts in Mozambique, and AWF intends continue piloting this zoning further upstream. AWF’s Zambezi River fisheries research and conservation will also help to ensure the viability of sport fishing camps along the river, which provide a source of income for the local population.