Sharp decline in kapenta seen in Kariba Dam

There has been a 43% decline in the kapenta fish population in Kariba Dam over the past five years, according to Food Business Africa News.

The drop in the kapenta numbers is being ascribed to a combination of illegal and unregulated fishing practices as well as a climate changeinduced decline in fish stocks.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, kapenta (Limnothrissa miodon) was introduced from Lake Tanganyika into the man-made Lake Kariba, where it now supports a large and viable fishery for Zimbabwe and Zambia, who share the lake.

The largest fishery is on Lake Kariba and contributes almost 90% of the country’s fish production.

Lake Kariba supports an open-water semi-industrial night fishery for the kapenta as well as an artisanal inshore industry run by village communities around the lakeshore largely using gillnets. Two species, namely kapenta and the Nile tilapia, contribute over 84% of the fish production in the country. Kapenta is an important, affordable and accessible source of fish protein and nutrition in both countries.

Milton Makumbe, Zimbabwe’s director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources Production, attributed the decline to a lack of proper regulation in the industry, which led to overfishing and disruption of crucial breeding processes. He pointed out that fishermen were encroaching into breeding areas, even during the designated resting period for kapenta.

“Overfishing is occurring in shallow waters, where the fish are not allowed to be caught, exacerbating the depletion of fish stocks,” he said.

He highlighted a regional charter that had been enforced since 8 April 2023, which aimed to monitor and control fishing activities in shared water bodies.

“The charter employs a tracking system that identifies and monitors kapenta catches, ensuring compliance with regulations,” Makumbe stated.

“Additionally, vessel monitoring systems (VMS) will be fitted on each rig to facilitate real-time monitoring of fishing activities.

“The VMS, based in Maputo, Mozambique, will relay information to authorities in Zimbabwe and Zambia,” he added. –