President Emmerson Mnangagwa, on Friday during the cleanup campaign last week urged the Minister of Environment to redouble efforts on the project to promote fisheries in communities which the ZimParks is rolling out.
Fisheries face a number of challenges that include weak governance and institutional capacities, over-fishing, climate change and disasters, human-wildlife conflict, pollution and habitat degradation posing serious implications according to the Zimbabwean leader.
“Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has been stocking dams with fish fingerlings, installing fish cages for cage culture, setting up cooperatives and training communities on management of fish resources,” the President said.
“The main of this program is to increase the participation of local communities in livelihood activities linked to wildlife conservation, improve income generation and protein sources and ensure food security at household levels.”
Zimbabwe’s leader also said that the fisheries sector plays a vital role in the food security of the country and employs about 4,700 people.
“Fisheries and Aquaculture play significant roles in socio-economic development, revenue generation, creation of employment, household diet and livelihoods for rural communities that are often poor and vulnerable,” the President said.
“The country has approximately 10,000 dams of varying sizes are found in Zimbabwe which offers a huge potential for fisheries.”
“The fishery sector comprises capture fisheries, aquaculture and recreational fisheries,” the President went on. “Zimbabwe has 132 types of fish in its water bodies and numerous plants that live under water.”
Currently, the fisheries sector produces approximately 21,000 tonnes of fish per annum valued at over USD$ 80,000,000.
Approximately 80% of Zimbabwe’s fish protein production is provided by the fisheries of Lake Kariba.
