Fishers bemoan scarcity of bamboos
Fishers in Traditional Authority Fukamalaza in Nkhata Bay District say the community has run out of bamboos which they use for making drying racks for fish and constructing toilets.
Kawanga Beach Village Committee member Susan Chirwa expressed the concerns on Monday during a media tour Pact Malawi under Restoring Fisheries for Sustainable Livelihoods in Lake Malawi (Refresh) project organised.
She said: “The bamboos have dwindled over the years due to the high demand of the commodity which in turn has resulted in wanton cutting down of trees to make drying racks. It has also resulted in the community turning the bush into toilets, which also poses a health hazard.
“We, therefore, appeal for a quick long lasting solution to our plight to avoid the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera.”
In a separate interview, environmental activist Mathews Malata, who is also the Association for Environmental Journalists in Malawi president, said fish restoration efforts require collaboration.
He said: “The fishing industry is within an ecosystem that is interconnected in nature. Therefore, fishers and the community should be supported with seedlings to replenish the depleted trees and bamboos.
“In doing so, we are also taking care of the environment while preserving fish and preventing fishers and off-takers from waterborne diseases.”
Nkhata Bay district forestry officer MacDoster Kamenya was not readily available to comment.
Pact Malawi is implementing Refresh project in the country’s lakeshore districts with funding from the United States Agency for International Development to conserve fresh water biodiversity and restore fisheries resources
Fishers dry fish on racks made of bamboos and trees
