Fish culture began in Malawi in the nineteen-twenties, when ponds were built on the Zomba plateau for stocking the rivers with trout for sport fishing. About 1950, similar ponds were constructed on the Nyika plateau. At about that time, Tilapia melanopleura and Tilapia shirana culture was started in the ponds of Nchenachena, at the foot of the Nyika plateau.
Again in 1950 some of the more enterprising estates in the Blantyre, Limbe and Cholo areas began to build fish ponds in order to provide fish for their labourers. The dams in these areas were also stocked with black bass (Micropterus) and tilapia.
In Domasi, a fish culture station was built by the Government in 1960/61 for the purpose of supplying fingerlings of Tilapia melanopleura and Tilapia shirana for the stocking of dams and ponds.
The following is a chronological account of fish culture development
In the Northern Region
| 1958: | 52 ponds totalling 14.8 acres were stocked with fish from Nchenachena. Total yield for the year: approximately 2,000 lbs. Several dams were stocked. No records of production. |
| 1961: | 141 ponds. Acreage and yield not recorded. |
| 1966: | There are about 250 dams in the Region, a number (not specified) of which have not yet been stocked with fish, a total of about 400 ponds being operated by African farmers and schools. Yield data not available. |
In the Central Region
| 1964: | Construction of the Bunda Fish Station (the ponds were stocked with T. melanopleura and T. shirana). |
| 1965/6 | All the dams of the Region were stocked with fingerlings from the Bunda station. |
| 1966: | An expansion of the farm fish pond programme is envisaged. |
In the Southern Region
| 1960: | The dams of the Imperial Tobacco Company were cropped (no record of yields). |
| 1961: | A dam on one estate is reported to have had a fish crop of 2,300 lbs/acre in that year (2,600 kg/hectare per year). |
No study of the yield and other aspects of fish culture work has been made to date. There are very few records relating to fish culture activities in the country.
The expert has suggested that an effort be made to ascertain the results of fish culture operations in the Northern Region where most of the ponds owned by African farmers are located. The data on these operations should be recapitulated by village, and the area of the pond, the date of stocking, kind and number (and if possible the weight) of fish stocked, date of harvest and weight of fish cropped, annual yield per acre (in lbs) should be recorded in tabular form.
In the Southern Region, tilapia fish culture is at present going through a critical period. In the expert's opinion, this is due to lack of experience in fish culture management. Here, as in other countries, there is a widespread belief that fish culture is only a matter of building ponds, stocking them with fish, and supplying the latter with all sorts of refuse as food. This attitude is illustrated by the failure to date to make budgetary provisions, at the Domasi Fish Culture Station for the feeding of fish. Since no supplementary feed has been supplied it is not surprising that poor results have been obtained to date.
Faulty lay-out of ponds has also an adverse influence on economic results.
Priority should be given to the conduct of a census of dams and ponds and to the determination, as far as possible, of the financial results of fish culture operations in the past.
The dams of the Northern Region, which still have not been stocked with tilapia, may be stocked, in those instances, at least where results can be expected to justify this measure).
In implementing a fish culture programme, due attention should be paid to distinguishing between work in dams and in ponds, since the methods of fish stocking are different.
Before drawing up a major development programme, a preliminary survey should take place to ascertain:
opportunities for increasing yield and income.
Under existing conditions, the Agricultural Officers and the expert feel that fish culture can make a significant contribution to the supply of animal protein for the farm population, although the fish pond and dam production is not likely to play an important role in the market.
The use of chemical fertilizers is not justified considering the small average size of the African ponds, the lack of familiarity with proper fertilization practices, etc. Generally, an improvement of yields is obtained by supplementary feeding only, more expensive practices not being justified in economic terms under prevailing conditions.
Aquatic weeds could be introduced in dams and ponds used for fish culture operations provided prior experimental investigations appear to indicate the advisability of this measure.
