The consultant had planned to spend about 15 days in the field identifying the shorelines of the lake which would most probably yield species best suited as ornamental fish.
As the coastline had been exploited by two previous ornamental fish collectors for about two years, the first aim was to ascertain to what extent the coastline resources had already been exploited. The information gathered by the consultant during his talks with European importers implied that only a small part of the lake had been explored and tapped previously and had probably received attention damaging to the market for wild-caught fish.
Interviews with fishermen who had worked with the previous collectors confirmed that only about 80 km of coastline, out of a total of 255 km in Mozambique waters, had been fished before. This is very important in the assessment of export potential for Lake Nyasa, as this lake is renowned for an exceptional variety of colormorphs of rock-dwelling cichlids, due to the isolation of stretches of rocky coasts between soft shorelines of sandy beaches or swamps. From the number, size, isolation and outlay of the rocky coasts, it could be assessed whether or not the chances of finding desirable varieties of ornamental cichlids were favourable. The survey of the coastline was expected to last about 15 days, during which time the coastal biotopes could be localized, and sampling of the species of fishes to be found on the biotopes would be made during underwater explorations with SCUBA gear.
Due to the distances to be travelled along the coast, and anticipated unstable weather conditions, the consultant planned only to investigate 8 locations during this preliminary survey. Logistical problems delayed the survey for several weeks, which was unfortunate in that investigations of aquatic biotopes in order to identify the fish schools and their density by direct underwater observation depend very much on the water turbidity. By end October the first scattered downpours of the rainy season had already brought about the first plankton blooms and cut visibility to a few metres.
The time allotted to the investigation had thus to be restricted to a week and only the most promising grounds, close to the border with Tanzania, could be given attention, and were examined during a four-day period, although the various types of coastal biotopes - rock, sand or mud - could be identified along the entire shoreline north of Metangula to the Tanzania-Mozambique border (155 km).
There are three main rock biotopes, separated by expanses of sandy beaches to the north of Metangula (previously called Vila Cardoso)
the northernmost extends from Cabo Nhyambo close to the border with Tanzania to Punta Messuli (30 km)
the central rocky coast extends from Punta Mala to 15 km to the south of the cape and is separated from the previous biotope by 30 km of sandy beaches
the third biotope extends north of Baia de Nego for about 10 km, and is separated from the previous rocky shore by approximately 15 km of mixed sandy and rocky beaches.
Immediately south of Metangula another rocky coastline extends for about 30 km
70 km south of Metangula a fifth rocky coast extends for about 20 km toward the Bay of Metonda, close to the border of Mozambique with Malawi. South of the Bay of Metonda, in Malawi, the coastline becomes swampy for about 100 km toward the shire river outlet.
Thus in the north and in the south the Mozambique coastline is well isolated from the fishing grounds which were heavily exploited for the ornamental fish trade in the past. Only in the area of Punta Mala, facing the Malawian islands of Likoma and Chisumulu, and the area south of Metangula (biotopes Nos. 2 and 4) were the collectors who exported from Mozambique very active. The isolation of the No. 3 biotope north of Baia de Nego from the Punta Mala area was not expected to be complete because of the mixed nature of the shoreline in between. The isolation of the No. 1 biotope (between Cabo Nhyambo and Punta Messuli) on the other hand, is exceptionally good, and probably the one in the south (No. 5 north of Metonda) should also be very well isolated and yield species of colour varieties of interest to the trade. Due to lack of time neither the area south of Metangula nor that north of Metonda could be investigated.
The problems of making a fast inventory of the cichlid species along the entire coastline in the Mozambique waters, to determine whether or not they could sustain a substantial volume of exports, were thus compounded by the shortening of the time allotted to the survey and the seasonal weather conditions which made direct observation difficult. They were further complicated by the lack of diving equipment delivery of which had been delayed, and this essential equipment was not available for the survey.
Consequently, the consultant decided to concentrate the efforts of the team he was leading on the most remote biotope because it offered, by its isolation and remoteness, the best opportunities for discovery of species of interest which had not been tapped for exports before.
True to expectations, and although the lack of diving equipment prevented observations down to a practical collecting depth of about 10 m, several species of interest were discovered on the biotope, which was investigated at several locations along a 13 km stretch of coastline, in its northernmost half, and again at its southern end. The eight explorations, short and superficial as they were, revealed the presence of at least 3 if not 4 colormorphs of species which had not been found elsewhere around the lake, and could be exported with profit.
Additional investigations at Punta Mala and south of this cape showed that although these grounds had been exploited before, several species could be collected and exported from this area, should the ornamental fish exports be re-activated.
The area north of Baia de Nego was sampled with rotenone and, apart from various cichlids which might eventually be of interest for the trade, yielded a species of rheophile Chiloglanis (C. neumanni) of exceptional interest. This species of algae-grazing dwarf catfish is exceptionally interesting for the ornamental fish trade for several reasons:
One of the commonest problems facing hobbyists in the maintenance of their aquariums is the control of green algae, which grow under the strong lights needed to emphasize the decorative effect of their tanks. These algae cover the glass walls of the tanks with an untidy layer, which has to be scrapped regularly. Although many freshwater algae grazers live in tropical waters, few are suited for aquarium life, either because of their size, or the fact that they also graze on aquatic plants, or because they are so specialized and voracious that once they have removed the green algae from an aquarium they starve to death.
Only one dwarf algae-grazer of a drab olive green colour has been available in the trade for many years and is grown by professional breeders in the Far East. It is exported in tens of thousands monthly from this area, very cheaply, but the markets would most certainly be very interested in having a much more colourful algae-grazer whose appeal would be longlasting.
Chiloglanis have never been bred in captivity, and as such might offer an opportunity for stable exports, without fear of large-scale breeding abroad.
C. neumanni apparently seldom exceeds 5 or 6 cm in total length, is brightly coloured (blotched black patches on yellow-orange background) and thus fits very well into the wide market community-tank type of fishes. The fact that this species is small and very hardy will reduce the shortcomings of the genus related to diet and appetite.
C. neumanni, a species known from the Zambezi basin, had been identified in Lake Nyasa, but has been overlooked by all previous collectors as an important and stable source of exports. The fact that it is a rheophile species would tend to indicate that its capture in large numbers in the torrents flowing into the lake, as well as mountain rivers inland, cannot be excluded and could perhaps be easier than in the lake where the species might be scattered in deep shelters.
The very short survey which the consultant could conduct revealed that his expectations to find new species of cichlids, suitable for exportation from some of the remote and as yet untapped biotopes had met with success. To what extent other cichlids of interest might be found during a more thorough survey which could support a substantial volume of exports remains to be ascertained.
The discovery of commercial quantities of C. neumanni in nearby affluent mountain torrents would give the project a much brighter long-term future.
The coastline of Mozambique on Lake Nyasa between the borders of Malawi in the south and Tanzania in the north extends for about 250 km. Three small cities on this coastline, Metonda close to the Malawi border in the south, Metangula 95 km north of this border, and Kobue about 80 km to the south of the border with Tanzania, are linked by roads to the provincial capital of Lichinga.
Only Metangula has a small non-surfaced airstrip, presently in disuse in need of repair.
Alldirt roads leading to Lichinga are in poor condition and need to be resurfaced.
Only Metangula, which is, moreover, centrally located on the coastline, has a daily supply of water and electricity by public services. The supply of water is provided for less than an hour daily; the supply of power starts at sunset and lasts a few hours.
Supplies of all items needed to run a collecting station for ornamental fish are not found in the area, or in the provincial capital, and would have to be brought, by road or airlinks, from Beira or Maputo.
The consultant from his discussions with the Department of Fisheries in Maputo was given to understand that most of the equipment needed to start the station-boats-engines-power generators,-air compressors-diving equipment-fishing gear, etc., would have to be imported as well as the materials needed to make the shipments from the lake to Maputo, such as cardboard boxes, adhesive tape, plastic bags, rubber bands, etc.
The shortages which beset the country might increase the problems of delays in maintenance of the equipment on the lake, as well as curtailing the production below the potential which could be forecasted.
For any ornamental fish collector, engaged as he is in a seasonal activity, the main reason for loss of revenue, apart from lack of knowledge in the capture and conditioning of the fish, lies in irregular collecting, the failure to keep a tight schedule for his shipments and fill orders as soon as they come in.
Given the fact that the sales season (about 9 months) has only a given number of weeks during which shipments can be made to fill orders, any week lost will reverberate throughout the entire season, and will not be made good later as it will take a week more before the customer, having sold out his previous stock, will reorder. The opportunity for a sale will thus be lost for good. This is one of the main reasons why the output of stations operating in remote areas can never be as high as that from stations close to the facilities of major cities.
Thus, one has to expect that a station in Metangula would at all times suffer from shortages of equipment, fuel, materials, and delays in maintenance services as well as from the shortomings and breakdowns of the vital links through which the fishes could be brought to Maputo. These shortcomings curtailed the activities of the two fish collectors engaged during the mid-seventies in exporting from Metangula, although at that time the supply problems and links with the main cities in Mozambique and adjacent Malawi were better than they now are. One might estimate that on average, more than 25 percent of their exports did not reach their markets alive, and that the average would now be much higher.
Until the airlinks between Lichinga and Metangula can be secured small freight aircraft or the road link surfaced allowing transportation of the consignments under proper conditions, and the airlinks between Lichinga and Maputo are on a regular schedule, one can expect that the outflow of production between Metangula and the capital city would be much hampered, and prone to high levels of losses which would make the landed cost of the fishes in Maputo too high for a profitable activity. Unless the logistical problems on the collecting grounds (and between them) and the export facilities in Maputo are taken care of, re-activating the exports of Lake Nyasa cichlids from Mozambique would be a costly undertaking.
Not only would it be costly, but also the few exports which might be made would put into jeopardy any ulterior rentability of new re-activation, as, in the meanwhile, the professional breeders abroad would have been attracted to the new species made available, bred them in quantity, seized the market, and destroyed the potential price structure. This eventuality cannot be overlooked as it has happened in the past; some of the most valuable cichlids from the Tanzanian coastline of Lake Tanganyika, which were exported in small quantities from remote areas a few years ago, were abandoned for lack of logistical equipment and are now bred abroad without profit for the country of origin and the original collector.
As the authorities of Mozambique plan to develop fisheries in the Lake Nyasa waters, the setting-up of an ornamental fish collecting station nearby in Metangula, as a support to the fisheries infrastructure, would become possible provided the logistical problems mentioned above could be taken care of. In this context, at least the problems of maintaining operational the various types of engines used by the station, such as engines for the boats, air-compressors, generators, etc., could be dealt with by the fisheries workshop.
It is obvious that the general fisheries project for the lake could not operate successfully if the connexions by road, air, and radio between Metangula and Lichinga, and also with Maputo were not substantially improved. If the ornamental fish project were to be started as soon as the main project had become operational, this special project should be prepared well in advance, and especially those aspects which can be undertaken with little expense or equipment (which would have to be purchased).
The consultant was unable to complete his survey for the reasons previously explained. Fifteen days were far too few to give more than limited essential indications on species which could be exploited. These findings need to be amplified to increase the knowledge of the fish stocks, their locations, and determine the best ways to exploit them at least cost.
It is important now to know what species can be counted on to sustain exports during several years, how and where to best catch them in such quantities that they are commercially profitable, and if their number is sufficient to determine in which sequence they are going to be exploited, keeping in mind that to put them on the market all at once would perhaps bring a high volume of sales for a while, but as soon as they bred their price structure will collapse and with it the appeal of the fish for the buyers.
One will thus have to decide which grounds are to be fished first, and from these grounds which species, and according to the inventory decide upon a plan of release of the new varieties on the markets.
Schematically, this inventory is the first order of priority and could be made before the main project is started so as to determine a plan of action.
One might estimate that the re-activation of the biotopes Nos. 2 and 4 (Punta Mala and the one south of Metangula at Meluluca reefs) could be given priority as there is some demand for the fishes from these biotopes although they are bred abroad. As these two biotopes are not sufficient by themselves to draw a strong current of interest from buyers within the present market context, the consultant suggests that the first biotope (from Cabo Nhyambo to Punta Messuli 30 km long) should be added to bring a stronger response from buyers. In addition, the mountain rivers near Metangula and along the coastline could be inventoried to discover sources of supply of Chiloglanis neumanni, in order to put the undertaking on a stable footing with a reliable species.
The setting-up of satellite collecting-stations along the coastline at Cabo Nyambo or at Punta Messuli might become advisable and could be established at low cost so as to avoid unnecessary and costly collecting trips along the coastline. An added advantage of holding facilities close to fishing grounds is to allow greater flexibility in the organization of the trips needed to bring their captures to the main holding facility at Metangula, which might be disrupted by weather conditions on the return trip. Having proper holding facilities on the site of collecting allows the transportation to Metangula to be made during fair weather and would drastically cut the risks of high losses during transportation.
Finally, as the operation on Lake Nyasa will be liable even with the best organization to occasional lapses in the connexions with Maputo, the fact that part of the catch can be stored for a while in the satellite collecting-ground facilities, instead of accumulating in the main station at Metangula, would avoid that the latter become submerged with fish should there be an interruption in the shipments toward Maputo.
An undertaking such as the one which has been planned intrinsically lacks flexibility and is thus vulnerable to incidents, but good organization can increase the measure of flexibility and reduce the financial impact of these incidents.
