By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, August 16, Mana: Nkhata Bay District Council and Ripple Africa through the department fisheries have burned over 200 illegal fishing gears that were confiscated in the beaches of Lake Malawi worth MK40 million.

In an interview on Thursday during the burning exercise at Nkhafu dumping site in the area of Senior Chief Mkumbira, Nkhata Bay District Commissioner, Rodgers Newa said this is a sign that the council together with partners are committed to preserving fish in the district.

“We have a lot of illegal fishing gears on the lake Malawi that are not acceptable within the framework of Fisheries Act. This affects our efforts in fish management. As a control measure, we intensified patrols, identified illegal fishers and confiscated the gears and the law provides that we need to burn them so that they are not found on the lake,” Newa said.

According to Newa, these illegal fishing gears harvest immature fish which is making the district to lose a lot of fish which affects revenue collection for the council among others things.

“In our continued efforts of patrols, we have a committee that checks in shops to make sure that only multifilament gears that are recommended by government are sold unlike the monofilaments which endangers aquatic life,” he added.

Newa therefore commended Ripple Africa and all stakeholders working hand in hand with the council to sensitize the masses about legal fishing gears as the council cannot do it all due to resource constraints.

He warned fishers who are still resisting to change that the law shall keep taking it's course.

In his remarks, Country Director for Ripple Africa, Force Ngwira expressed commitment to continue supporting the council with resources through their fish conservation program.

‘Our role is to support Nkhata Bay District Council financially because for fisheries department to go for patrols and confiscate these illegal fishing gears they need resources and we remain committed to support,” Ngwira said.

According to Ngwira, most of illegal fishing gears were confiscated by Beach Village Committees and Fisheries Associations.

Chairperson for Mkumbira Sub-Fisheries Association, Andrew Kamanga said they will keep on sensitizing the masses in the district on responsible fishing and appealed for continued support from government and developmental partners.