Fisheries Management Efforts at Cape Maclear

Background & Introduction

In August 2005 a consultative meeting was held at Chirombo Bay Cottage. The meeting was convened by Professor Jay Stauffer, Dr Henry Madsen and Peter Makaula of Lake Malawi Schistosomiasis Research Programme (LMSRP). Among those invited to the consultative meeting were extension workers who are working the Cape Maclear area Cape Maclear is one of the areas where LMSRP is carrying out research aiming at describing the relationship between a) the abundance of snail eating fishes and b) the abundance of intermediate host snails to urinary schistosomiasis, caused by Schistosoma haematobium, and c) the incidence of human infection in and around Lake Malawi. The objective of the meeting was to solicit views of the extension workers regarding feasibility of involving the community in Cape Maclear in enforcing a shallow water fishing ban along the shores of the lake in Chembe village. Based on advice from the extension workers, LMSRP was to decide whether to continue with its efforts to achieve shallow water fishing ban or not. Extension workers who attended the meeting were Evance Mataka from fisheries, Faniza Kaulembe from community development, Zaccheus Solomon from health, Joe Chinguwo from parks and wildlife and Paul Mwasesa from education. ~ by Peter Makaula