The World Bank/WBI’s CBNRM Initiative

Case Received: January 26, 1998

Author: E. M. Syampaku

Tel.: +260-1 295419

Fax: +260-1 250587

Email: esyampaku@agric.unza.zm

Lake Kariba is the largest man-made lake in Southern Africa and perhaps one of the largest in Africa. The lake was made in 1959 after building a dam on Zambezi River, and is jointly owned by the governments of Zambia in the north and Zimbabwe in the south. It is located between latitudes 16.5øS and 18øS, and longitudes 27øE and 29øE. It stretches for 320km with an average width of 19.4km although the widest portion is 40km. The shoreline is approximately 2,164km. At maximum height, the lake holds 157million cubic metres of water with an average depth of 29m. The lake is 486m above sea level(Chipungu,1993).

The lake has three districts along its shores: Sinazongwe, which is also the largest, Gwembe and Siavonga. During its creation the lake displaced approximately 57,000 people. The lake is in the low rainfall area of Zambia receiving less than 600mm annually. Lake Kariba is important for hydro-electric power generation, artisanal and subsistence fishing, industrial (Kapenta) fishing, tourism, water supply, and lake transport. This paper is mainly on fishery management. Although Lake Kariba has 51 species of fish, only 35 species have been observed in gill net surveys (Musando, 1996).

The local people are generally part-time fishermen. They depend on fishing as alternative source of income to agricultural activities. Due to low rainfall, agricultural activities do not wholly support the food security situation of the local people. Even in good years, the food security situation is precarious especially from November to March. Thus, local people still depend on the lake.

Around independence in 1964, the lake shore was communally owned with chiefs being in charge. There were controls enforced by local leadership. Moreover, up to 1986, fishing on the Kariba was closed during the breeding period - from December to March. In the 1970s fishing was also suspended due to liberation war in the neighbouring Zimbabwe. However, soon after decontrol in the late 1960s especially after Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, there was an influx of migrant fishermen with no responsibility for any stratum, and overfishing led to:

1. decline in fish population in the late 1980s.
2. increase in fishing in breeding areas.
3. catching of juveniles.
4. increase in illegal fishing methods.

In a bid to contain over fishing and ensure sustainable fish management, in 1974 the Department of Fisheries (DOF) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAFF) was empowered by the Fisheries Act Cap 314 of 1974 to:

1. take appropriate measures for the development ofcommercial fishing in the country.
2. control of fishing, and registration of fishermen and boats.
3. prescribe special fishing areas and licences.

The act also prescribed prohibited fishing methods, empowered DOF officers at Sinazongwe, Chipepo in Gwembe and Siavonga along Lake Kariba to enter and search property, seize fish, and any other items prohibited by the act. Moreover, Section 3(i) of the Fisheries Act, Cap 314 of 1974 prohibited use of poison, poisonous plants, electrical devices, and explosives to kill fish. Section 5(i) restricted introduction of any species not native to the water or water naturally connected therewith. Statutory instrument number 106 of 1976 prohibited fishing nets for Lake Kariba as being:

1. seine nets (draw nets) of mesh size less than 76mm.
2. monofilament net of mesh size less than 120mm.

However, these laws were not able to arrest over fishing, and there was a lot of pressure such that the amount of fish caught on the Zambian side increased rapidly from less 500 metric tonnes in 1980 to over 3000 metric tonnes in 1987. In 1986 the Government enacted Statutory instrument number 55 with the same provisions as Statutory instrument number 106 of 1976. The Government further enacted statutory instrument number 198 of 1986 and amended Statutory instrument number 55 by redefining specified nets as:

1. seine net of any size of mesh.
2. gill net of mesh size less than 76mm.
3. monofilament nets of size less than 120mm.

Moreover, instrument 198 of 1986 removed closed season provision for Lake Kariba inshore fishery, partly because it did not auger well with local people who felt they were not compensated when they were displaced by the lake, and partly because the Government wanted local people to get some food security. However, the change in legislation did not change the fishing pressure. The amount of inshore fish caught started declining from over 3000 metric tonnes in 1987 to 1000 metric tonnes in 1992 (Musando,1996). Although the decline is attributed to both overfishing and flactuating lake levels, the first is more important. This called for more stringent measures to conserve the fish population (Musando, 1996). In 1990, there were over 2000 fishermen in more than 250 villages with more than half of them in Sinazongwe. 95 percent of the fishing fleet used by this population consisted of canoes, 3 percent fibre glass boats and 2 percent plank or metal boats. Thus, most of the fishing was done in shallow waters which are designated as breeding areas. These estimates may even be low due to financial constraints in data collection and analysis faced by DOF (DOF, 1995).

The DOF attributed their inability to inforce legislation to their inability to control entry and movement of migrant fishermen who are also not concerned with conservation, poor monitoring due to financial constraints, poor road and telephone communication, dumping of small mesh nets by manufacturing companies, political interference in technical decisions which demoralised law enforcement officers, and absence of net licence system (Musando, 1996). However, the local leadership attributed poor fish conservation to lack of community involvement in fishery management and poor consultation with the valley people which tended to alienate fisheries officers. Local chiefs claim that the number of migrant fishermen is larger than that of local ones (especially December to March), local people have remained part time fishermen, and that arrivals do not report to either chiefs or village headmen (Chitembure, Mungo'mba, et al, 1995). Other reasons are that DOF stopped fish conservation training programmes in the past, reduced interaction with the fishing community, not having a code of conduct for fishermen and fish traders, and metting light penaulties on convicts. As at 1995, the fish population on the Zambian side was considered smaller than that on the Zimbabwean side (Musando, 1996; DOF, 1995). Continuation of poor fish catch would also provide food insecurity to local lake shore communities who depend on fish sales during certain parts of the year.

Due to problems associated with poor conservation of Lake Kariba Fisheries, it become necessary to manage the fisheries and ensure sustainability of the fish population to support the ever growing human population. This proposal was made on 3rd February, 1994 by local chiefs, selected fishermen, Kapenta Fishing Association, donor representatives, NGOs, DOF, and district chairmen and secretaries of Siavonga, Gwembe and Sinazongwe (Zambia/Zimbabwe Newsletter Issue No.2). The objective of the management is to:

1. maintain a sustainable contribution to national income.

2. generate employment for lake shore communities on sustainable basis to improve their standard of living.

3. ensure self sufficiency in fish supply.

4. optimize production to satisfy national demand.

5. improve fish conservation techniques.

6. prevent rural-urban migration.

Conservation could be achieved by limiting access to fishery and control pattern of permanent settlement by using participatory decision making structure whereby fishing communities take over responsibility to manage and control fisheries in defined areas using community centred management regime. Fishermen would need guidance from technical staff as communities manage resources, improve observance, and benefit from resources. Demarcated areas of responsibility were to be under Fishing Camp Management Committees (FCMC). Zonal Fisheries Management Committees (ZFMC) consisting of Chief, representatives from district council, DOF and interested groups, would oversee FCMC in villages and camps. FCMC would nominate a candidate to the ZFMC which would fall under DOF with one meeting per year. The ZFMC would establish a revolving fund for defraying operational and maintenance costs and promoting development zones. Contributions would come from:

1. 60 percent of licence fees by the DOF.

2. 60 percent of the district council levy fees.

3. contributions by management committees in camps and

4. contributions by the Kapenta Fishing Association.

5. initial government contributions.

6. initial donor contribution through the Zambia-Zimbabwe SADC Fisheries Project.

7. donations and grants by any development agency.

Fishermen on the Zimbabwean side are also willing to be involved in community based management of Lake Kariba fisheries through formation of associations. For example, in Kwaramba and Nzunga (1994)found that fishermen were ready to form the Gill Net Fishermen's Association provided it was different from the Fishermen's Association and Cooperative Union and Kapenta Fish Operators. About 30 percent of the fishing population was composed of women and 70 percent of men. Following the relaxation of permits by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management in the late 1980s, the fishing population on the Zimbabwean side increased rapidly between 1990 and 1993 (Sanyanga, Lupikisha, et al, 1994).

The proposed management structure has not yet been fully implemented although efforts are being made. In October, 1994, Lake Kariba Sinazongwe Interim Fisheries Zonal Committee chaired by Chief Sinazongwe was formed with both smallscale fishermen and companies as members. Breeding areas were also demarcated. However, both migrant and local fishermen did not like the idea of being regrouped into fishing camps and villages, registration exercises, estricted fishing. Consequently, there was a drastic reduction in the fishing population and pressure between 1990-1993 and 1993-1995 (table 1).

Table 1: Changes in Fishing Population on Lake Kariba

1990 - 93 (%) 1993- 95 (%)

Fishermen 5               - 41

Villages 9 - 76

Boats 1 - 30

Nets -27 - 17

In spite of this problem, 67 fishing villages were established, and Village Management Committees formed to run the affairs of villages and link the DOF with the fishing community. Future plans are also to close certain areas to fishing for conservation purposes (Sanyanga, et al, 1994). The Government is also determined to reduce pressure on lakes and rivers by introducing fish farming through the Southern Province Household Food security Project. The Government is also studying the feasibility of introducing some fish species on dams in the country. Thus, such projects may eventually lead to reduced pressure on fishing in large waters.

Non-Government Organizations are also interested in conserving fish in the Kariba. World Vision International and Gossiner Mission of Berlin have no direct involvement in fisheries. Harvest Help (Zambia) provide loans for fishermen to purchase boat engines. GTZ assists in preservation techniques and wood fuel management for fish procession, and inclusion of women in the fishing industry. The Zambia-Zimbabwe SADC Fishery Project assists in infrastructure rehabilitation, research, and manpower development.

The proposal and efforts being made to conserve Lake Kariba fish are appreciable. The need to be interpretted to the local communities. However, they still leave a lot of loop holes. For migrant fishermen still settle without restrictions and there is effectively no control on expansion. More work is needed to educate fishermen on purpose of fishing regulations especially in breeding months of December to March. The use of prohibited nets is still rampant such as seine nets made from gill nets is common among local people who do most of their fishing in breeding areas, especially after their food stocks have run out. This is compounded by their lack of suitable fishing gear for variety of fish species. The use of canoes only exerts pressure on fishing in breeding areas. Other illegal fishing methods still rampant are use of beach seine nets, weed traps, fish driving, fishing in breeding areas, use of smaller mesh nets.

It is also important to note that local people are interested in conserving fish. Thus, the Government must consult local people when enacting laws that have direct effect on them. As the Government embarks on establishing fishery management on small dams in the southern half of the country, local communities should be educated on the importance of management. Moreover, deep water fishing should be encouraged to prevent fishing in breeding areas. This is possible if fishermen are offered credit to buy bigger boats to replace canoes.

The current fish management structure excludes the partcipation of village headmen. There are some villages along the lake that are not fishing villages which can be a source of problems to fishing in breeding areas. The management structure does not consider such villages.

Between 1983 and 1994, the amount of fish caught per boat per night flactuated between 3kg and 3.5kg, suggesting that increased number of migrant fishermen with increasing number of boats was associated with over fishing

1. Chipungu, ___ (1993): "Review of Draft Proposal for the Management of the Zambian Inshore Fisheries on Lake Kariba" Zambia-Zimbabwe SADC Fishery Project Report. November, 1993.

2. Musando, B. (1996): "Inshore Fish Population Changes in the Zambian Waters of Lake kariba from 1980 to 1995". MPhil Thesis. Department of Fisheries and Marine Biology, University of Bergen, Norway.

3. Sanyanga, R.A, J.M. Lupikisha, et al (1994): "1993 Joint Fisheries Statistics" Zambia-Zimbabwe SADC Fishery Project Report No. 36. November, 1993.

4. Kwaramba, R., S. Nzunga (1994): "Can the Lake Kariba Gill Net Fishermen Association Provide a Solution the Long Dreaded Problems on the Lake?" Campfire Fisheries Report No.1. Zambia-Zimbabwe SADC Fishery Project. November, 1993.

5. Chitembure, R.M, J. Mung'omba, et al, (1995): "1994 Joint Fisheries Statistical Report" Zambia- Zimbabwe SADC Fishery Project Report No. 43. November, 1993.

6. DOF (1995): "Extraordinary meeting called the DOF to Review Conflicts Between Artisanal Fishermen and Commercial Kapenta Operators on 25/07/95 at Sinazongwe Fisheries Training Centre"