Lack of funding chokes fish project

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment deputy director of fisheries and quality assurance Loyola Phiri has said lack of funding has delayed the construction of Sanga fish landing site in Nkhata Bay.

He said the project was discontinued in 2009.

Speaking in an interview after a tour of the site on Tuesday, Phiri said the ministry is trying to source funds to resume the project.

He said: “The department will need at least K50 million to finish the project since it remains with few structures.”

Phiri said the site is one of the 15 that the Sustainable Fisheries, Aquaculture Development and Watershed Management project was supposed to fund.

Sanga Area Development Committee member Hastings Mgabi said lawmakers visited the area in 2019 and promised to lobby for funding to resume the project.

The fish landing site consists of staff houses, sanitary facilities, solar power pumps, cold rooms, market shelters and store rooms