By Shingirirai Mutonho

THE business of running fisheries in most water bodies on the outskirts of Harare which used to be lucrative and a source of livelihood has since lost its lustre.
Over the years, residents from areas such as Harare, Norton, and Darwendale have generated income from operating fisheries at Lake Chivero and Darwendale Dam.
Fortunes have since turned around chiefly owing to the decline of fish population.
Operators of fisheries at Lake Chivero have raised concerns over the decline in fish population which they have attributed to various reasons and say if the situation persists they might be forced to close shop.
Collin Chiverenga who runs a fishery said fish population had declined as a result of overfishing in the water bodies.
“The past two years have been difficult for us as we have witnessed a sharp decline in the quantity of our catch,” Chiverenga said.
“When I started operating here in 2007 a daily catch would range from one to two tonnes per day but now it is 150 to 200 kilogrammes.
“Some of us who run legitimate fisheries have been negatively affected by those who poach the fish.”
For one to run a fishery, they are licensed by the National Parks and Wildlife Authority however, over the years it has been running battles with ‘fish mongers’ operating without licences.
“Those who poach the fish make it difficult for the regulation of operations here as it would mean the number of those permitted to fish would be more hence the fish population depletes quickly,” said Chiverenga.
“When one is given a licence they are given a map showing the areas where to fish and the breeding areas but the poachers that do not have the map end up fishing even in the restricted areas.
“Poachers also do not adhere to the fishing times that the authority has laid down which include not fishing on Sundays and the laying of nets and fishing only at prescribed times.”
Chiverenga said the decline has also been caused by contamination of the water bodies.
“There are reports that there are harmful chemicals in the lake and these endanger the lives of the fish and also hyacinth causes the death of fish hence we lose out,” he said.
Another operator identified as Mai Petty blamed the National Parks and Wildlife Authority for licensing too many fisheries resulting in the decline of fish population.
“When I started here in 2008 there were about 11 licensed fisheries with each fishery owning two boats now they are more than 33 licensed fisheries,” Mai Petty said.
“The increase in fisheries meant more players on a small sized area and this means the fish quickly runs out leaving not much time for the breeding period.”
Efforts to get a comment from the National Parks and Wildlife Authority on the licensing of fisheries were fruitless.
Mai Petty said the decline in fish population has resulted in them failing to sustain the operations.
“Gone are the days when we used to make profits of a higher margin that enabled us to fend for our families and grow our business,” she said.
“We are now even failing to purchase nets to use, which we now have to import from Mozambique as they are not readily available on the local market.”
Experts have, however, urged those in the fish production sector to be innovative and seek ways to avert the challenges and ensure they continue to meet local demand.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president, Wonder Chabikwa urged those running fisheries to venture into fish farming to augment supplies.
“With the advent of the Land Reform Programme we are witnessing a growing number of indigenous farmers practising fish farming which requires farmers to prepare ponds, breed their own fish,” said Chabikwa.
“By moving from only relying on fish in water bodies to fish farming means the fish in large water bodies is given time to breed and prevent over fishing.”
Many resettled farmers are venturing into the fish production sector which was rarely practised by indigenous farmers before the Land Reform Programme.
A number of farmers have constructed ponds and are breeding fish for sale.
Apart from economic benefits reaped by a farmer from selling fish, the meat is also an economic source of relish that families rely on as a substitute to beef.
The most commonly bred type of fish in the country is the tilapia, an exotic breed of the bream family that is easy to raise and has a fast growth rate as well if compared to indigenous breeds.
Other breeds that are bred in Zimbabwe include trout and kapenta.