Fish business boomsas Lake Chilwa fills up

Fish business has boomed in Machinga and Zomba districts after Lake Chilwa, which has been almost dry in recent years, has now plenty of water courtesy of Cyclone Freddy, it has been learnt.

Cyclone Freddy, which hit the Southern Region in mid-March this year, triggered torrential rains that led to flooding, mudslides and devastation.

In the area of Traditional Authority Mchinguza, the flooding of Lake Chirwa displaced scores of households.

A fisher at Mphonde Fishing Dock, Kusala Kwanala, said in an interview that every day, he catches over 50 dozen fish compared to the time when the lake was dry before the cyclone.

He said: “When the lake was almost dry, we scrambled for the limited fishing docks that were available and we caught meagre fish which affected our trade.

“But now, despite the storm which has caused enormous havoc to several communities, we are reaping benefits. Our livelihoods have improved for the better.”

Fred Chamange, a fisher from Zomba Chisi, said he has employed people to operate his three fishing boats and earns over K 100 000 a day.

But he said despite booming fish business, transportation of the commodity to markets such as Blantyre has been a challenge because of transport.

He said: “The road which connects to Nsanama where there is a tarmac road is in bad shape. As such, we always wait for either Sundays or Tuesdays to travel by train.

Machinga district commissioner Lucia Chidalengwa said Lake Chilwa has been the main source of livelihood for people living around it and other neighbouring districts.

She assured the fishers that government is determined to complete the construction of Nsanama-Nayuchi Road to ease transport woes.