Kapenta fishing faces extinction amid rivalry between Zambian, Zimbabwean fishermen

By John Cassim

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AA) - Kapenta fishing in Lake Kariba could disappear if measures to curb poaching, corruption and over-fishing are not immediately put in place.

The depletion of kapenta, a type of sardine, as well as alleged corruption among security agents on the Zimbabwean side is also said to be the main source of rivalry between Zambian and Zimbabwean fishermen, said sources.

“We implore the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe to come up with measures that could help reduce overfishing, poaching and corruption, which is a major source of rivalry,” said Chartwell Tanga Kanhema, chairman of the Zimbabwe Kapenta Fishermen Association (ZKFA).

“Soon the kapenta fishing industry will be dead if the status quo remains, so our situation is desperate.”

Nesbert Mapfumo, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Kapenta Producers Association (ZKPA), agreed.

“Compared to the 1990s, there is a huge difference in terms of the catch. We hardly get 100 kilograms of kapenta per boat per night today.

“Yet in the 1990s, we used to get up to a ton of kapenta in one night using one boat,” Mapfumo said.

Fishermen, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that members of the army and police who patrol the lake own some of the unlicensed boats and accept bribes to allow Zambian fishermen to encroach into Zimbabwean basins.

“We see a lot of these Zambian boats, but only a few are arrested,” said a fisherman only known as George.

Responding to the allegations, Paul Nyathi, a police spokesman, said: “Yes, we arrest a few boats here and there, but that’s because we are just doing our work. If the fishermen have grievances, they can approach their local authorities and a recourse will be put in place.”

In 1967, kapenta (Limnothrissa miodon) were introduced from Lake Tanganyika into the man-made Lake Kariba, where it now supports a large and once viable fishery for Zimbabwe and Zambia, who share the lake.

- Source of rivalry

Lake Kariba has at least five kapenta fishing water basins on the Zimbabwean side, while information regarding the same on the Zambian side was not immediately available.

Basins number one to four are a bit far from the town of Kariba while basin number five, located near Sampakaruma island, is much closer to the border town.

According to documents from the Kariba Town Council, 67 kapenta fishing boats are allowed in the area but 169 boats are operating there daily.

Only 73 boats were fully licensed by Feb. 1, 2022, meaning the rest are illegal fishermen in this particular basin.

“We have so many unlicensed fishing boats getting into the lake, outnumbering the permitted boats per any given time, and this has resulted in low production, less income and viability challenges,” Mapfumo told Anadolu Agency.

“This has caused kapenta prices to go up, although viability is still threatened as we have to quarterly renew our permits at $300 and licenses at $1,200 per term.”

Zimbabwean fishermen alleged that Zambian fishermen encroach into Zimbabwean basins but law enforcement is relaxed, while the Zimbabwean fishermen are treated harshly when their boats sail into Zambia.

“As the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks), we regulate the fishing in Lake Kariba, and we arrest everyone without a permit. Even when the Zambian fishermen encroach into Zimbabwe, we treat them the same,” said ZimParks spokesman Tinashe Farawo.

In 2013, Zambia and Zimbabwe agreed that boats permitted to fish kapenta in the lake were supposed to be reduced to 500, with 275 in Zimbabwe and 225 in Zambia.

Meanwhile, the total number of boats exceeds 400, while those licensed for 2022 are just 232 in Zimbabwe alone.

“The situation is made worse when the Zambian fishermen encroach and fish in our basin and they are left just like that, a clear sign of corruption,” said Tanga.

“I hear them because they are in business, but we are just enforcing the laws,” said Farawo.

- Government reactions

“These matters come up here and there, and as the police, we deal with them as they come. So, I can’t say exactly how many Zimbabweans are getting into Zambia and vice versa for fishing,” said Nyathi.

In January, local media quoted Zimbabwe’s Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka as having revealed that a meeting with Zambian authorities could take place soon.

“We are hoping we would be able to meet with them so that we allow the breeding spaces to be respected for us to work out a plan to gradually restock,” said Masuka.

“Those are the issues we discuss when we meet as top officials in the bi-national meetings, so if Zimbabwean fishermen have complaints, they should approach their local security sector,” Nyathi said.

“When we then meet with the Zambian officials like we are doing this week with our counterparts in Botswana, we share notes and deal with the issues."