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ANNEX 4
Additional information on the fisheries of Lake Mweru

Methods of fishing

During early days, fishing was conducted mainly on a subsistence basis -- along the coastline, using hooks and baskets or beach seine; mesh nets constructed from bark cord and kutumpula near the coast; dug-out canoes. Both men and women were active in the coastline fishery. The main fish caught were pale, tembwa, and mboa. With the commercialisation of the fishery, cotton and nylon nets were introduced.

Fishing is done in many ways. Fishing with baskets is still seen in rivers and swamps, and women anglers are busy in Kilwa Island. In the Kalungwishi river, a formation of baskets traps fish as they migrate to and from their breeding area. The three major fishing techniques are gill-netting, chisense fishing and fishing methods such as kutumpula and beach seining.

1) Gill-netting is the most common form of fishing; roughly 75% of the fishermen practise it. Stationary gillnets are set some distance out in the lake to catch a variety of large-and medium-sized breams (Tilapia macrochir), catfish and other fish. Fishermen using gill-nets usually set out with about three men in a boat around 3 a.m. on a moonlit night to collect the catch from the nets. They return to the shore around mid-day.

2) The Chisense fishing originally took place on a small scale from the beach. In the early '80s, a different method in the open lake was introduced. Chisense fishing now employs less than 20 % of the fishermen. It requires more initial capital than gill-net fisheries. Chisense fishing operates with one or more pressure lights strung out in a line and pulled slowly to the boat or suspended from the boat; fine mesh nets are either pulled in around the last light, scooped underneath the light or lifted up underneath the light. In Kafulwe and Kansungwe, chisense fishermen mainly use the boat seine method which involves two boats and seven workers. In Kasembe, boat seining operations are usually carried out by three people using one boat.

3) Other fishing methods include the inshore methods of ‘kutumpula’ and beach seine, i.e. trapping the fish by driving them into the net, thumping or stumping long poles into surrounding vegetated waters, or pulling the nets towards the shore. Both methods are illegal, as breeding and suckling fish or immature cichilids are easily caught. According to Allen and Chileya, these methods are widely used in the river and the swamps in the south of the lake. Only 7% of of the fishermen are recorded as using these methods.

Fishing seasons

The peak fishing season occurs during the hottest weather, between September and November. The fishing declines slowly as it gets cooler. The lake is closed between December and March for gill net fishing. June-July is considered a poor season because of low catch, strong winds and rough current.

Chisense fishing shifts from the north of the lake (August to April) to the southern part of the lake (April to August). The fishermen move away from the north because of the strong winds and the current. Chisense fishing is suspending on moon-lit nights.

Fishing equipment

Gill nets, chisense nets, and thread for repair are sometimes provided by the Zambian net manufacturing company “Nkwazi”, but are usually in short supply. Most of the nets are procured from Zairean traders. Zairean nets are more durable (they last a minimum of two years) and cheaper than “Nkwazi” nets and more often available. Chisense nets are supplied by by Zairean traders, or made from locally procured clothing materials.

Tiller lamps and spare parts are supplied by fish traders from the Copperbelt.

Engines are not commonly used especially in Kasembe. Several prominent fishermen do own engines but they are seldom used. In Kasembe, engines are not allowed to be used in the Chisense fishery (engine noise may scare fish away, conflicts may occur between fishermen with and without engines). engines. In Kafulwe, engines were not in use because of the low catches and high fuel prices. The engines are used to transport people.

Plank boats are the predominant craft used. A recent trend in gillnet fishery in Kafulwe is the use of bigger vessels. The crew can sleep on the boats and stay for several days until relieved by other crew. In this way, the crew can guard nets against theft. The crew can also process catch on board and store it.

Fish processing

The different fish processing methods are:

  1. Sun-drying and smoking: Fish is often spread on racks inside the house, whiled which firewood burns underneath. Some others use oil drums as an oven; bicycle tyres with the fish stapled to them are mounted on top. It is the most time-consuming method of all, and needs a lot of firewood. Products are mostly sold within Zambia.

  2. Sun-drying: This is the easiest and cheapest way to process fish but not commonly practised. Sun-dried products fetch lower prices than smoked products.

  3. Salting and sun-drying: Fresh fish is cleaned and soaked in a drum with salt for a few days, after which it is spread on racks to dry in the sun. The cleaning and salting can also be done on vessels on the lake. The method is easy and there is a big demand for salted fish, especially in Zaire. The investment cost is higher than that for any other method.

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