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愛媛大学農学部紀要（Mem. Fac. Agr., Ehime Univ.）
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Small Scale Fisheries of Malawi: An Outline of Lake Malombe Fisheries
George MATIYA＊ and Yoshikazu WAKABAYASHI＊
Abstract
Small-scale fisheries contribute significantly to food security and income of many people in developing countries.
Therefore this study was aimed at outlining the small-scale fisheries of Lake Malombe in Malawi with the overall goalof improving its management consequently improving the livelihood of the fishing communities. Lately fisheries
production in the lake has been on the decline. Co-management approach to fisheries management was first initiatedaround Lake Malombe in 1993 to address this problem. The strategy seems promising for small water bodies although
there are some operational processes that are not yet in place including some legal framework. In order for small scale
fisheries to be sustainable open access should be replaced with limited access. The organization, composition andsustainability of the local organizations should be carefully considered.
Key words: Small-scale fisheries, Co-management, Beach Village Committee

1. Introduction

2. Study Area

Fishing is the traditional occupation for most of therural communities along the lakes and rivers in Malawi.
Fisheries have been an integral part of the life of thepeople of Malawi and play a very significant role in thenational economy as well as food security of many
households. Over 70% of animal protein consumed comesfrom fish and contributes about 4% to Gross Domestic
Product (Njaya, 1998). The fisheries sector in Malawi has
two main groups namely; small scale fisheries and large
scale fisheries. The small scale usually use traditional
methods but contribute over 85% of the total fish catchand constitute 90% of the fishers (Fisheries Department,
2004).
Fisheries activities in Malawi are not only concentrated
around Lake Malawi but also takes place in lakes
Malombe, Chiuta, Chilwa and the Shire River. In order todevelop a robust fisheries management system, it isimportant to understand the fishery of a particular water
bodies as well as the socio-economic background of its
fishers when putting a management system in place(Pomeroy, 1995). Therefore this paper outlines thefisheries of Lake Malombe focusing mainly on the
production trends, targeted species, gears used, socioeconomic background of the fishers and the management
system in place.

Lake Malombe lies between latitude 14°21′to 14°
45′
south and longitudes 35°10′ to 35°20′ East in thesouthern district of Mangochi. It is part of the Great Rift
Valley system. It is the third largest lake in Malawi. The
lake is 30 km in length and 15 km in width with amaximum depth of 7 m. The Upper Shire River, about 13
km long, flows from the southern tip of Lake Malawi
before widening to form Lake Malombe (Fig. 1) (FAO,
1993). Fishing is the major socio-economic occupation forthe communities around Lake Malombe. The populationof the area in 2000 was estimated at about 69,000 fishingfamilies residing in at least 45 villages. There were over
65 fishing beaches around Lake Malombe with 488 gear

Received 20 March 2005.
Accepted 31 May 2005.
＊＊
Laboratory of Social Sciences in Fisheries, Faculty ofAgriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama,
City, 790-8566, JAPAN

Figure 1: Map of East Africa and Malawi showing thelocation of Lake Malombe

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George MATIYA and Yoshikazu WAKABAYASHI

owners, 3,697 crewmembers operating in the lake
(Fisheries Department, 2004).
3. Socio-economic characteristics of the fishingcommunities
1) Ethnic composition
The area surrounding Lake Malombe is densely settled
by a population who are primarily of Yao tribe who
immigrated into the area in the 19th century who
immigrated into the area in the 19th century and therefore
most fishers (77.5%) belong to this tribe (Bell, 1998).
This means most of the people have the same cultural
background and this might be of importance when
implementing a community based management system. A
few fishers of Chewa, Lomwe and Nyanja tribe are also
found operating in the lake. The area falls into areas of
two Traditional Authorities or Chiefs Mponda and Chowe.
2) Education
Most of the people in the area lack formal education.
This might be because of poverty. The children too are
involved in activities that would bring food for survival
and therefore might not have time to go to school.
Consequently, a large number of fisher-entrepreneurs(45%) lack formal education, but most of them have basic
knowledge of reading, writing in vernacular language andcalculation (Matiya, 1998).
3) Household size
The average number of children per family is 6
children. This is higher than the national average of 5
(National Statistical Office, 1999). Besides, a family isalso expected to help other members of their extended
families. Therefore it is not uncommon to have ahousehold with over 10 members. Most of the fishers are
married to more than one wife. This might be because ofIslam, which allows polygamy, is the dominant religion in
the area or because of poverty fishers are seen as better
off and can marry to more than one wife.
4) Income sources
Fishers were of the opinion that “nobody should put all
their eggs in one basket”. To diversify the risk they also
invest outside their fishing businesses, but fishing was themain cash income source for 80% of them. Almost all
fisher-entrepreneurs (86%) own agricultural land with themain crops being maize and rice. Almost all fishers own
livestock, mainly poultry and goats.
4. Fisheries Production
In the 1980’s when the fishery was near its peak, thelake produced over 12,000 mt of fish, representing
approximately 17% of Malawi’s total production. However, the fishery has experienced a rapid decline in annual
catches from about 12,000 mt in 1988 to nearly 3,700 mt
in 1999 (Fig. 2). The lake now contributes 2-5% of theData Source: Fisheries Department, 2004

Figure 2: Total fish catch, Oreochromis spp. catches andLentrinops spp. catches from Lake Malombe

total fish production (Fisheries Department, 1999).
This represents a considerable loss in income levels of
the fishers and nutrition to the communities. The
economic value of the lake that was at MK42 million (US$0.396 million) in 1988 was reduced to about MK4
million (US$37,735) in 1996 (Fisheries Department,
1999). The high valued Chambo (Oreochromis spp.)
declined while Kambuzi (Lentrinops spp.) which is not ofhigh value increased although of late its production has
also been decreasing. The lake provided a living example
that fisheries resources are finite and therefore can extinct
if not properly managed.
5. Fish Species Composition in the Lake
Cichlids dominate the fishery in Lake Malombe. In
terms of species composition, Lethrinops spp., locallyknown as Kambuzi, is the most abundant fish in the lake.
This species, with an average length of 8 cm, constitutesof over 70% of the fish catches. In the 1980’s Chambo(Oreochromis spp.) used to constitute over 66% of the
fish catch. Now the Chambo, with an average length of
27 cm and high valued, constitute only 3% of the catch.
Other species in the lake include Mcheni (Rhamphochromis spp.) catfish (7%), Mbaba (Buccochromis spp.)(11%) and others including Kampango (Bagrus meridionalis) (Fisheries Department, 2004).
1) Description of the species in the lake
(1) Kambuzi
The present fisheries of Lake Malombe are dominatedby the exploitation of medium to small cichlids locallyknown as Kambuzi comprising the genera Lethrinops,
Otopharynx and Copadichromis (Fig. 3). These are
demersal and semi-pelagic cichlids and account for over
70% of the total landing from the lake. The length at firstmaturity is 6-8 cm.

Small Scale Fisheries of Malawi: An Outline of Lake Malombe Fisheries

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and gill nets. The group is composed of more than 20
species, which feed principally on small mid-water fishes
including Engraulicypris sardella, Diplotaxodon spp. and
Copadichromis spp. The commonly found species in Lake
Malombe is Rhamphochromis longiceps. It has a total
length of 20 cm and the smallest in the group of
Rhamphochromis spp. (Fig. 6) (Turner, 1996)

Source: Fisheries Department, 2004

Figure 3: Copadichromis spp.

(2) Chambo (Oreochromis spp.)
The Chambo is the most famous and most popular foodspecies in Malawi. They are mouth brooders and breed inshallow waters of 5-20 m. The average length at firstmaturity is 27 cm (Fig. 4) and fetch high price on themarket (Palson, et.al, 1999)

Source: Fisheries Department, 2004

Figure 4: Oreochromis spp. from Lake Malombe(3) Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)
Catfish constitutes a small but appreciable proportion of
the Malombe landings. A remarkable feature of this fish is
its capability of breathing atmospheric air thereby making
it survive in all water bodies including including swamps
or other waters with seasonal drying. It possesses a broad
and flattened head with barbels, followed by a slenderscaleless body. It is the biggest fish in the lake growing 1
m in length and a maximum of 20 kg in weight (Fig. 5).

Source: Fisheries Department, 2004

Figure 6: Mcheni (Rhamphochromis spp.)

6. Fishing Gears in Lake Malombe
The fish exploitation technology in Lake Malombe is at
the artisanal level, although it is for both subsistence andcommercial purposes. In 2003 there were 488 gear
owners; 3,697 crewmembers and 1,500 traders. Generally
the number of boats has been decreasing (Fig. 7). The
number of plank boats without engines increased by 3%
from 362 boats in 1999 to 372 boats in 2003. On theother hand, dug out canoes have decreased by 45% from102 canoes in 1999 to 56 canoes in 2003. There was noboat with engine operating in the lake in 2003. This
underlines the fact that the fishery is small scale (Fisheries
Department, 2004). The decrease in crafts might be due toreduced fish catches, which has forced some fishers tomove to other water bodies.

Data Source: Fisheries Department, 2004

Source: Fisheries Department, 2004

Figure 5: Catfish from Lake Malombe(4) Mcheni (Rhamphochromis spp.)
This is a group of ferocious predators found in all
habitats, from shallow swampy areas such as Lake
Malombe, to the pelagic zone of Lake Malawi. They areimportant commercially, and are caught by hand lines,

Figure 7: Number of Boats and Boat Owners in Lake
MalombeThe main fishing gears that are used with this type ofcraft are 1) gill nets, 2) kambuzi beach seine nets, 3)nkacha seine nets, 4) long lines 5) fish traps (descriptionof these nets is given later). Gill nets used to be thecommonly nets in the lake but they have been on thedecrease. Fish traps are now the commonly used fishinggear (Fig. 8). As can be seen the fishing methods being

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George MATIYA and Yoshikazu WAKABAYASHI

2. The gill net may be used as an open-water seine net(Fig. 9C-E)

Data source: Fisheries Department, 2004

Figure 8: Gears used in Lake Malombe by their
proportion

used in Lake Malombe are traditional in nature with noboats with engines. These methods are very effective
since Lake Malombe is a very shallow lake withmaximum dept of 7 m.

2) Beach Seines
These include Chambo seine, Kambuzi seine andMosquito net. These gears are all similar in construction(Fig. 10A). The main differences in these gears are theheadline and mesh size.
! Chambo seines range in length from 300 m to 2500m and typically have a mesh size of over 80 mm (3inch).
! The length of a Kambuzi seine ranges from 40 m toover 1500 m and typically has a mesh size of 25
mm (1 inch).
Mosquito nets are also called Usipa beach seines andrange in length from 20 m to 250 m. The mesh size of
this gear is approximately 1 mm. (FAO, 1993)

7. Description of Fishing Gears used
1) Gill net
A gill net is a rectangular gear usually made from 4 or
6 ply multi-filament twine. The headline length can varyfrom 100 m to 3200 m and the depth from 5 m to 25 m.
It is normally used with a single planked boat (with orwithout an engine) and a crew of four. The net may besurface set or bottom set (Fig. 9A) and this net istraditionally a passive gear, which is set in the evening
and retrieved the following morning. In Lake Malombe,
two active methods of using gill nets have been observed:
1. The net may be slowly dragged behind two boats ina pair-trawling manner (Fig. 9B)
Source: FAO, 1993

Figure 10: Beach seine operation

All beach seines are operated in a similar manner. The
net consists of a long panel of netting, which is weighted
to the lake bottom. The net is cast from the beach in asemi-circle using a plank boat (Fig. 10B). After deployment, both sides are pulled onto the beach simultaneously
by two sets of people, thereby entrapping the fishsurrounded by the net (Fig. 10C).

Source: FAO, 1993

Figure 9: Gill net operation in Lake Malombe

3) Nkacha Net
The Nkacha Net is a rectangular gear (Fig. 11A) with alength of 120 m to 500 m and a mesh size from 6mm (1 4inch) to 25mm (1 inch).
For operation, the footrope of the net is weighted to thebottom. The gear is operated using two plank boats andseven crewmembers. The net is cast in circular manner(Fig. 11B, C & D) and crewmember dives down to tie thefoot ropes together (Fig. 11E), effectively forming a bag
within which fish is trapped (Fig. 11F).

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Small Scale Fisheries of Malawi: An Outline of Lake Malombe Fisheries

Source: FAO, 1993

Figure 13: Fish traps used in Lake Malombe

8. The Fisheries Management System

Source: FAO, 1993

Figure 11: Nkacha net in Lake Malombe

4) Long lines
Long lines are a passive gear. They consist of a strong
length of cord onto which monofilament traces and hooks
are attached at intervals (Fig. 12). These hooks are baitedwith pieces of fish.
Float1) Fisheries Policy and Law
The new Fisheries Law has given the power to local
communities to jointly manage the fisheries resources withgovernment. In this case the government and the local
communities have powers to make regulations regarding
management of fisheries in a specific water body.
Therefore there are rules and regulations for Lake
Malombe that have been jointly formulated by local
communities and government.
2) Property rights
The fishery in Lake Malombe for a long time was not a
private resources but rather a common property resourcewith open-access in nature. Therefore before a person
becomes a fisher he/she must get permission from local
leaders. However, nobody has ever been denied access ofthe fishery. Furthermore, there is no control system thatwould reserve specified lake areas for certain fishingvillages. Any fisher is entitled to fish everywhere in thelake. As a result half of the fishers move between beaches
in search for better fish catches.

-5m

Kirby sea hook

Large rockfor weightSource: FAO, 1993

Figure 12: Long lines in Lake Malombe

The long line is then weighted to the bottom and isgenerally set overnight and lifted the following morning.
Hook sizes are generally larger than those used for handlines.
5) Fish Traps
These are generally funnel-valve traps (Fig. 13). These
are generally set in shallow rivers or lake areas. The trap
may also be used in conjunction to a weir or fence, which
serves to guide the fish into the trap.

3) Gear Registration and Licensing
Any fisher must register and pay an annual license feefor his fishing net. Usually this is after been granted
permission to operate on a particular beach by a local
leader in the area. The license fees are paid at the nearest
Fisheries Office. The licensing fee varies according to thetype of net used (Table 1). The license describes the gear
to be used and the beach that the fisher would land.
It should be noted that the license fee is paid for the net
used and not the boat. This is because normally some
Table 1: Annual Gear Basic Fees
Type of Net

Gear Fee

Gill net

MK15/100 m (US$0.14)

Nkacha net

MK150/50 m (US$1.42)

Kambuzi seine

MK100/50 m (US$0.94)

Chambo seine

MK150/50 m (US$1.42)
Data Source: Fisheries Department, 2005

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George MATIYA and Yoshikazu WAKABAYASHI

fishers share boats. It must be said that the license fees
have not controlled the number of fishers, as the amounts
paid are very low.
4) Participatory Fisheries Management Program (PFMP)This was a co-management program that was introduced in Lake Malombe in after unsuccessful government
controlled system. Co-management, which is defined as anarrangement where responsibility for resource management is shared between the government and user groups,
was adopted in 1993. The initial objectives for the
introduction of this co-management approach weremainly; to promote recovery of the fisheries of Lake
Malombe and Upper Shire to a level that could sustain anannual catch of 10,000 mt. This would be achieved byarticulating the views of the fishing communities infisheries management, thereby having a successful management system (Bell, et al 1993). To this effect a total of
31 Beach Village Committees (BVC) composed of bothgear owners and non-fishers were formed around Lake
Malombe and Upper Shire River.
(1) Beach Village Committees (BVC)
These are local level organisation representing thefishing community. These are formed on all major
beaches. The geographical area as well as number offishers per group depends on the number of fishers at abeach and distance between beaches. The main role of
BVC is to organize fishers and making sure rules andregulations are complied as well as controlling the numberof gears on a beach.
9. Problems of Lake Malombe fishery and its
management
1) Poor Implementation of the Fisheries Policy and Law
The Fisheries Policy and Law recommend the devolution of management power to local level institutions. To
this effect the Fisheries Department and local institutions
are required to sign management agreement on transferring of authority and responsibility. Until now suchagreements have not yet been signed (Matiya andWakabayashi, 2004). This implies that the government
legally still holds the power to manage the fisheries
resources. The role of community can be challenged in acourt of law proving that the process of transferring power
to local communities has not completed. The Fisheries
Fund has not yet been established and therefore cannot be
funded from licensing fees by the Fisheries Department as
stipulated by law.
2) Decline in catches
The fish catches from the lake are still low since thefishery has not yet recovered. This entails loss in revenue
consequently affecting the living standard of most of thepeople. Over 80% of the people get their income fromfisheries. The situation is worsened by the fact that there
are few income generating activities in the area.

3) Lack of access restrictions
The fishery is still an open access resource therefore
still prone to over exploitation. The fishing license does
not limit a fisher to operate in a certain area nor restrict
the number of days. The fishing license issued should
limit a fisher to a certain area and specify the number ofdays for fishing. Movement of fishers between beaches
should be discouraged as these migrant fishers show noconcern about management especially if operating far
from their home areas.
4) Composition and the role of the BVC
Since the BVC have some members who have nofishing gear, the fishers are questioning their presence. In
some cases the BVC is seen as a government institution
as there is very little consultation between the committees
and the fishing community. The local level institutions
must have more people who have a big stake than few
non-fishers. The BVC must always consult the fishingcommunity before making major decisions.
5) Sustainability of the BVC
The government with support of donors initiated the comanagement system in Lake Malawi. Funds were madeavailable to train some members of the local communities
in fisheries management and group dynamics. However
the sustainability of the activities initiated with support
from donors is doubtful. No mechanisms were put inplace to have the BVC run on their own without support
from government. Secondly, the composition of the BVC
has been changing frequently and this affects continuity ofactivities. To sustain the BVCs there is need to identify
source of funding the activities. Licensing fees should be
retained by the BVC to run its activities.
10. Conclusion and Recommendations
Fisheries are very important to local communities
around Lake Malombe. It has been observed by FAO(1993) that in developing countries subject to a highunemployment rate, fishing is one of the last remaining
job opportunities for a labor force lacking training andcapital (land). The fishery is small scale and traditional in
its operation. Overall the total production has declined
considerably representing loss of income to the local
communities. However, the number of gear owners isdecreased over the years.
Participatory approach was adopted in the managementof the fisheries resources. This system is best suited tosmall water bodies like Malombe since the people havethe same cultural beliefs and religion. Beach Village
Committees as local management groups are striving tomove the management regime to community based.
Lake Malombe has a number of problems pertaining to
the fishery and its management. These include low
catches and lack of equally profitable alternative source ofmoney. The unlimited entry into the fishery resulted intoover fishing. The participatory approach being advocatedSmall Scale Fisheries of Malawi: An Outline of Lake Malombe Fisheries

has not been fully implemented. Some legal requirements
have not yet been fulfilled. The composition and role of
BVC is still not clear to the fishing community.
In order to promote the fisheries in Lake Malombe, theopen access should be replaced by limited access. The
lake needs to be zoned and movement between zones
should not be allowed. The Fisheries Law should be fully
implemented to give power to the communities to manage
the fisheries resources. The licensing fees should be
retained by the BVC for administrative purposes. This
would ensure sustainability of the local groups. The BVC
should have more fishers than non-fishers to give it thelegitimacy it requires. Those with high stake should havemore representation as the success of agreements madedepends on their compliance. The local groups must
always consult with the fishing community to be seen thatthey represent the interest of the fishing community andnot representing government.
In summary, co-management system has a chance tosucceed if carefully planned and implemented. This mightlater develop into community based management system(after government has given all the powers to thecommunities). This is a long term solution for management of small water bodies as it is cheap and sustainable
for developing countries like Malawi.
11. References
Bell. R. 1998. Community-based Fisheries Management in
Lake Malombe, The World Bank/WBI’s CBNRM Initiative.
www.srdis.ciesin.org/cases/working/converted/malawi-002.
html

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FAO, 1993. Fisheries Management in South-east of Lake
Malawi, the Upper Shire River and Lake Malombe withparticular reference to chambo (Oreochromis spp.) CIFA
Technical Paper. No: 21. Rome, FAO 1993.
Fisheries Department, 1999. Fish Stocks and Fisheries ofMalawian Waters: Resource Report 1999. Fisheries Research Unit, Monkey Bay pp 47−52.
Fisheries Department, 2004. Annual Frame Survey Report,
2003. Fisheries Bulletin, Lilongwe, Malawi pp17−22
Matiya G., 1998. Socio economic analysis of fishingcommunities around Lake Malombe. MSc. Dissertation
submitted to Bunda College of Agriculture.
Matiya G. and Wakabayashi Y., 2004. Participatory Fisheries
Management Program around Lake Malombe: Status andLessons Learnt, 2004 International Conference proceedings,
IIFET, Oregon University .pp 1−10
National Statistical Office, 1999. Population of Malawi in
1998, 1987 and 1977 by area and sex.
Http://www.nso.malawi.net/Comparative_population.htm.
Njaya, F., 1998. The Development of Fisheries Comanagement Program in Malawi: A Comparative Case
Study for Lakes Malombe, Chilwa and Chiuta. In Eide, A.
and T. Vassdal, (eds), IIFET ’98 Proceedings, 1, 260.
Pomeroy W., 1995. Community-based and Co-management
Institutions for Sustainable Coastal Fisheries Management inSoutheast Asia. Elsevier Publishers, Northern Ireland.
Pá1lsson, Ó.K., Bulirani and Banda, M. 1999. A review ofbiology, fisheries and population dynamics of chambo(Oreochromis spp., Cichlidae) in Lakes Malawi andMalombe. Government of Malawi, Fisheries Bulletin:38. 35
pp.
Turner, G. 1996. Offshore Cichlids of Lake Malawi, Cichlid
Press, Lauenau, Germany; 240pp, ISBN 3−9282457−330