Illegal fishing methods rife in Monze

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Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock should urgently address illegal fishing methods employed by fishermen in the Kafue River in Chief Hamusonde’s area in Monze District, a traditional leader has pleaded.

Ngambela Milton Maungila said the rampant use of mosquito nets and other destructive fishing methods known locally as ‘Chikunkula’ were posing a serious threats to the fish population which was on the verge of depletion.

Ngambela Maungila warned that if the bad fishing methods were left unchecked, the Kafue River which once boasted of copious fish stocks would completely have no fish.

He recalled that in the past the Kafue River boasted of several varieties of fish and good catches but that bad fishing methods coupled with overfishing posed serious threats to the fish population.

Ngambela Mungila implored the Fisheries Department to intensify patrols especially in the fishing camps to ensure fishermen adhered to sustainable fishing methods.

“In the past we used to catch a lot of fish like breams but now the catches are poor due to bad fishing methods such as the use of mosquito nets and Chikunkula that fishermen use which are not sustained.

“Our main appeal to the government is to seriously respond to our concerns because a few years from now, the Kafue River will have no fish at all,” Ngambela Muangila said.

Ngambela Maugila also urged the Department of Forestry Department to contain deforestation in the area.

He said lack of punitive punishment for people who cut trees indiscriminately was the major contributing factor to deforestation in the Chiefdom.

The traditional leader advised the government to devise measures such as working with the traditional leadership and the community in the area to curb deforestation which he observed was fast turning the area into a “desert”.

“One other major problem we are facing here is the problem of deforestation which has gone unabated due to lack of enforcement of laws by the Forestry Department and I think also lack of punitive punishment for people who wantonly cut down trees for charcoal,” Ngambela Muangila said.