Assessment of catch, effort and species changes in the pair‐trawl fishery of southern Lake Malawi, Malawi, Africa

Abstract

Catch per unit effort (CPUE) and species composition in the pair-trawl fishery in commercial Area A of southern Lake Malawi were assessed from 1991 to 2001. CPUE declined from 1.7 t day )1 in 1995 to 0.5 t day )1 in 2001 and the fishery is considered depleted. In 2000/2002, catch composition differed significantly from a 1991 survey, and was dominated by haplochromine cichlids (92% by weight). Of 98 haplochromine cichlid taxa identified in the catch, 18 contributed ‡1% by weight. The artisanal fishery targeted similar species of a similar size. It was recommended that: (1) renewed investment and increased effort in the pair-trawl fishery is not advisable; (2) there was a need for effort limitation in Area A and (3) the pair-trawl fishery should not be managed in isolation of the artisanal fishery.artisanal fishery, catch per unit effort, Lake Malawi, management policy, pair trawl.

Between a rock and a hard place: The need for and challenges to implementation of Rights Based Fisheries Management in small-scale fisheries of southern Lake Malawi

“…High fishing effort and the development of new destructive techniques have redcuced catches of high value species and have also resulted in changes in fish species composition Weyl et al, 2005;Hara, 2006;Weyl et al, 2010). Environmental degradation has also contributed to localized over-exploitation of some species Mkanda, 2000;Hecky et al, 2003;Delaney et al, 2007).…”

“…Excess effort is made worse in that the commercial fishing sector also fishes in the same area and also targets the same species (kambuzi, utaka and chambo) as the small-scale sector (Weyl et al, 2005). In 2007, 15 trawl units were licensed composed of eight deep water (bottom) trawl units, four mid-water trawl units and three shallow water trawl units.…”

“…Other than limited licensing and allocation to specific fishing zones, output regulations are not used as a management tool in the commercial sector either. Generally, there has also been a decline in recorded catches from commercial trawling since its introduction in 1975 (Turner, 1995;Turner et al, 1995;Weyl et al, 2005;DoF, 2013b).…”

Morphological and genetic variability among Mpasa (Opsaridium microlepis Gnther, 1864) populations from the inflow rivers of Lake Malawi

“…It is estimated that the lake harbors over 800 species of cichlids, of which 99% are endemic (Snoeks, 2000), as well as about 50 other fish species, of which 50% are endemic (Ribbink, 1994). The lake's fish population also supports a multispecies fishery (Weyl et al, 2004(Weyl et al, , 2005, being both a source of income to the local people and a basis of national food security (Ribbink 2001;Weyl et al, 2005). In the multi-species fishery, Opsaridium microlepis (Günther, 1864) is one of the major species that is commercially exploited in this lake.…”

Schistosomiasis in Lake Malawi and the Potential Use of Indigenous Fish for Biological Control

“…The small-scale fisheries exploit an estimated 110 species, with 25 species comprising 80% of the total catch by weight (FAO, 1993;Turner, 1995;Turner et al, 1995;Weyl et al, 2005). There is, however cause for caution as surveys in southern Lake Malaŵi have shown considerable overlap between artisanal and trawl fisheries (Weyl et al, 2005) and there is evidence that the artisanal gill net fishery is now operating at depths greater than 50 m (Weyl et al, 2005). In addition, degradation of the spawning grounds due to excessive siltation following deforestation and de-vegetation of the catchment area may have affected L. mesops (Cohen et al, 1996).…”