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Protecting 736km of
shoreline along Lake Malawi

FISH CONSERVATION IN MALAWI, AFRICA

Ripple Africa started fish conservation in Africa in 2011 in Nkhata Bay District of Malawi.  Called Fish for Tomorrow, they built on their experience of community led forest conservation in Malawi. They developed a simple approach which was trialled along a 40 km area of lakeshore in the District. It was so successful that communities wanted this approach and Ripple Africa are now working in five Districts and protect 736km of lakeshore.

Problems

  • Rapid population growth

  • Increased number of fishermen

  • Overfishing resulting in poor fish catches and biodiversity loss

  • Fishing with nets made from hundreds of mosquito nets

  • No ownership by the local community

  • No enforcement

  • The government is under-resourced

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Solutions

  • Local ownership

  • Beach Village Committees established

  • Simple bylaws adopted and enforced

  • Communities confiscate illegal fishing gear and fine fishermen

  • Fish breeding areas are protected

  • Fishers catch larger fish with larger meshed nets

  • More fish, bigger fish, more money

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HANDS ON TRAINING
FOR COMMUNITIES

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BIGGER FISH,
MORE MONEY

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COMMUNITIES PROTECT BREEDING AREAS

Achievements and Future Plans

Ripple Africa has established 474 Beach Village Committees (formerly known as Fish Conservation Committees) that are protecting Chambo fish breeding grounds along 736km of shoreline. A fishing closed season has been adopted and fishermen are using larger meshed gill nets and catching bigger fish. The number of migratory fishermen has been reduced due to the new local permit fee. However, there are still fishing districts in Malawi which haven’t yet benefitted from this community initiative.

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How Ripple Africa Work

Ripple Africa bring together all stakeholders to agree a plan for the district. New fishing bylaws are drawn up, volunteer Beach Village Committees are established and are empowered to manage the fishing in their area by making community members aware of the local bylaws, confiscating illegal nets
and fining offenders.

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