CHIEF CHANJE CALLS FOR CAPACITY BUILDING FOR FISHERMEN

CHIEF Chanje of the Chewa speaking people of Chipangali district in Eastern Province has called for the enhancement of capacity building for fishermen in the district.

Speaking to The Scoop, the traditional leader said once harnessed and properly managed future generations would benefit from the dams and fish species that inhibit them in communities.

“Fish is a source of protein that is beneficial for human consumption hence the need for community members to be empowered with the right knowledge on how to preserve the water resources,” he said.

The traditional leader added that fish was a source for numerous benefits for human nutrition and faced depletion due to overfishing and destructive fishing practiced by the majority of the fishing community.

“There is a need to implement programs that train the fishermen and fishing community members on how to fish with the future in mind while managing fish stocks and water resources sustainably,” he said.

He said as a chief and patron in his chiefdom he will ensure that all fishermen that do not adhere to the measures put in place to save fish stocks will be punished.

“We decided to add a punishment for those who chose not to listen and use prohibited nets, chemicals for fishing and not following what is been said during sensitizations. We want to plant more trees to protect the dams from the sand that falls inside the dams,” he said.

Chief Chanje added that in the past much bigger fish like the breams were seen compared to nowadays as the increase in demand for fish has transformed the fishery to a more pelagic dominated fishery.

“We have more smaller species of fish now that are being exploited, unlike back in the days when we would see very big species of fish. The importance of sustainable fishing cannot be overemphasized as the practice protects fish stocks and water resources for the future as well as enhances nutrition as fish accounts for a large portion of animal protein consumed by Zambians,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rise Community Aid Program (RECAP) Research Monitoring and Evaluation Manager George Mumbi said some parents in Kalomo district were forcing their children into early marriages to raise money for food as a hunger coping strategy due to the existing drought.

Mr. Mumbi said agriculture was sometimes affected by drought which threatened food security resulting in malnutrition especially among children.

“Our organization is hoping to soon implement a donor funded project that focuses on reducing the vulnerability of children and their communities to impacts of climate change insulated wars of the climate stressed Kalomo district,” he said.

He said RECAP operations were now extended to Siavonga, Chikankata, Kalomo and Kazungula district in Southern province in order to help many communities fight poverty and hunger.