The structure of the Department was recently reorganized (and reduced from 4 to 2 divisions), but some innovations and changes were still unclear.
Many officers were rather young; this, and the general uncertainty, had repercussions on the overall functioning of the Department.
The Department also suffered from the problems often encountered in developing countries, such as
The staff of the Fisheries Department tries to cope with these problems to the extent possible. A programme that outlines development during the next few years (2000 and beyond) was elaborated (see Annex V). A map, a list of major aquaculture centres and a copy of the Fisheries Act were also obtained (see Annexes VI and VII).
Besides the overall restrictions mentioned earlier, the Fisheries Department has to cope with following difficulties :
Besides the offices of the Department, Chilanga also houses the Fish Culture Station, several laboratory buildings (now mostly unused), a library and a natural history museum.
III.a.1. The Fisheries Department and its policy on fish introductions
In the early years (till 1945), some fish introductions took place via South Africa on a purely empirical basis; no consequences were noticed. Since 1945 and till the beginning of the 1980s, the policy of the Department was to favor or breed exclusively local species; as such Zambia is one of the countries where almost no introduction of foreign Tilapia species took place.
From the 1980s, some hazardous introductions such as carp, grass carp and T. nilotica took place without any clear or firm policy on these introductions. EIFAC rules were not followed. There also seemed to be no clear policy concerning foreign donors such as Japan and NORAD, and development programmes funded by them.
However, recent changes indicate that the Department wishes to review and evaluate its policy on fish introduction by private farmers; this is fully justified and deserves help and support. The present consultancy can be considered in this context as a first step. But the Department of Fisheries has to work out a clear policy on fish introductions, as part of an aquaculture development programme.
All introductions should be seriously investigated and should be in accordance with EIFAC principles. This includes introductions by the Department itself, and those by foreign donors. Policies toward foreign donors, commercial farmers and large companies should be uniform and equitable — on the basis of “One rule for all”.
Zambian policy in this respect must be harmonized with that of surrounding countries. FAO can play an important catalytic role, and should undertake some urgent measures.
III.a.2. Co-operation between the Fisheries Department and other departments
According to the Fisheries Act, introductions of aquatic species are not allowed without the written permission of the director of the Fisheries Department (see Fisheries Act § 5). However, most recent imports of exotic fish species by private farmers and companies were done on the basis of permission given by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and without consulting the Fisheries Department.
Therefore the control of introductions should be disscussed and coordinated among the Zambian Ministries concerned.
The Fisheries Department should bring the regulations of the Fisheries Act (Annex VIII) to the notice of all customs and border authorities, and should also advise the Ministry of Commerce and Industry about these matters.
III.a.3. Internal relations and functioning within the Department of Fisheries
It appears that the recent transport of tilapia species in N-E Zambia (e.g. Tilapia andersonii into ponds in the Rukwa and Tanganyika systems) was unknown to the local Fisheries Officer although the fishes were distributed by a government fish culture station. In such situations normal control of transport is not possible. The Fisheries Department should therefore take special measures to prevent such situations.
Local transport of live fish and fish seed should be disclosed in advance to the local Fisheries Officer concerned, so that control remains possible. However, though a system of records and control seems necessary, a heavy bureaucracy should not be created merely for transport of fish larvae.
III.a.4. On the knowledge and principles concerning introductions:
Within the Fisheries Department, there seems to be some misunderstanding concerning the definition of exotics; fishes existing somewhere in Zambian waters were not considered as exotics when transported to other river basins. The Fisheries Act however clearly considers “any transport outside of the natural range” as an introduction that requires a special permission from the Director of Fisheries. (Act 5a).
Within the Fisheries Department, some permanent upgrading of basic knowledge and principles of aquaculture could therefore be very useful. With regard to introductions, a lot of misbelief and misunderstanding exists within the Fisheries Department, as well as among foreign assistance workers and private farmers. Most people believe that fishes (and crayfish) could be maintained inside fish ponds without escaping into natural waters. The presence of Tilapia nilotica (escaped from Nakambala Farm) in the Kafue River and in the lake Kariba (escaped from Kariba Bream Farm), and the presence of the Macrobrachium prawns downstream of Kariba dam demonstrate the contrary.
Therefore all introductions should be regarded as possible contamination of natural waters; the Fisheries Department should promote this concept among all fisheries officers and Customs officers. This should be part of the permanent updating of knowledge among fisheries officers.
III.a.5. Status of knowledge, and level of permanent training of people working on fisheries and aquaculture
It often seemed that earlier data and research work were largely unknown. Examples:
Research by Matthes during 1959–60 had shown that the species Boulengerochromis microlepis was unsuitable for pond culture. This research was apparently little known. In 1989 this species was introduced into fish ponds at Mwekera (without success and as an unrecognized exotic!).
E. Schwanck repeated in 1991–92 at Chilanga the work of Mortimer (1958–62) on the Tilapia macrochir strains of the Kafue and the Luapula-Mweru, apparently without much knowledge of published data.
Further, it was noticed on several occasions that the people in the government had insufficient knowledge on the morphology, natural distribution, ecology and behaviour of cultivated fish species. Most people were unable to check and identify the fish species.
Periodical upgrading and training courses therefore seem necessary.
III.a.6. Museum, reference collections and specialized library
In Zambia there is only one small scientific reference collection of fishes and aquatic animals, in Chilanga. This museum is in a poor condition. Windows have no facility to darken the rooms; the overall temperature is too high for zoological collections. Many jars are badly closed, much or all of the preservative fluid has evaporated, and many specimens are dried up or discolored. As a result this reference collection, very valuable both zoologically and historically, is in a very bad condition and on the point of becoming totally degraded and useless.
An effort should be made to safeguard and upgrade this collection, which can also be very useful for training fisheries officers and for periodical upgrading sessions.
It would be very useful also, if not necessary, for the whole country to have at least one professionally trained ichthyologist-taxonomist, who would be in charge of the collections and who would take part in the training programmes (see II b-2 and III.a.4 and 5).
On this point the Fisheries Department should try to come to an agreement with the Zoology Department of the University of Zambia or should designate a Fisheries Officer in charge of the Museum, including the Fisheries Library.
The Fisheries Department Library has a very good collection up to 1980, but now lacks funds. There are almost no recent acquisitions, and there is no permanent librarian. This library is a very valuable instrument and should be upgraded. Some library complements seem necessary, and a link with modern information systems has to be established.
III.b.1. Types and systems of aquaculture
In Zambia, as in some other countries of Africa, there are roughly two types of aquaculture:
(a) The extensive rural aquaculture practised by small scale farmers, generally in small ponds, and with low yields.
These farmers use the fish species distributed as seed by local fish scouts from the Government Fish Farms, and try to apply as well as possible the advice given by Fisheries Officers and development workers.
These small scale rural farmers never ask for exotic species to be introduced but accept them if they are recommended by the advising autorities.
The Fisheries Department has a tremendous responsibility in providing the right advice. As far as production is concerned, rural aquaculture results in very low yields, and a limited fish production for family use. Often the production is purely theoretical (fish ponds visited at Mbala, Isoka and Muyombe had dirty water, the ponds were too shallow, and had only a few small fishes). Efforts to increase the yield and total production of rural aquaculture necessitate a high input of technical assistance with very little success.
(b) Aquaculture on a medium or large scale (semi-intensive to intensive) by commercial farmers and large companies.
They enjoy good access to scientific and published information, have their own facilities and sufficient resources to import exotic fishes. They generally have a better knowledge on exotic species than on local species and therefore often try to work with exotic species; they now operate without any control by the Fisheries Department, and obtain import licences directly from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
As they work on a commercial basis, they do not always co-operate and exchange information. On the contrary, they sometimes seem to keep valuable information to themselves.
The larger fish farms produce rather high yields, relatively large amounts of fish for the local markets of the larger urban centres. They play an important and vital role in the country's food production.
The Department of Fisheries has to evaluate both types of aquaculture, and decide its policy toward both of them. It is unfortunate that these larger fish farms work with limited contact with the Department. The Department should also try to facilitate this type of aquaculture; it can play an important role in harmonizing the attitudes and policies of commercial fish farmers toward introductions and the use of exotic fish species.
Also, FAO and ALCOM have to evaluate their efforts and input towards small-scale rural aquaculture in the context of the increase (or no increase) of yields and production.
III.b.2. Geographic and climatological influences on aquacultural zonation in Zambia
With regard to climatic conditions, and especially the periodicity and amount of rainfall and the availability of water, Zambia can be divided roughly into two aquacultural zones:
The northern and north-eastern part (one third of the way along the North-South lines) where rain falls for around five months and where water is generally not a limiting factor in agriculture. Both rural extensive and large-scale intensive aquaculture are being practiced.
The southern part of the country, where rain is rare, and where most rivers receive water from the northern region.
With regard to the periodical problem of drought, small-scale rural aquaculture has become very difficult in this area, and only large scale intensive aquaculture (necessitating large dam contructions or permanent water pumping) is at present possible. But it is very important to remember that this area is responsible for the production of large amounts of fish for the markets of Lusaka and the neighbouring centres
As drought may become an important obstacle to pond culture, aquaculture should be restricted to those areas where water availability is no problem. In such areas, aquaculture (mainly as cage culture) should be strongly promoted. Suitable areas in this southern part seem to be: Lake Kariba, the Kafue Flats, the Lower Lungsemfwa and the Lower Luangwa.
An economic feasability survey may yield useful indications.
Although, since the 1980s, Tilapia andersonii has been recommended and propagated as the main Tilapia species and the local species within Zambia, some people have more and more doubts about the advantages of using this or only this species, and about the specific purity of the distributed strains.
In Chilanga, some ponds were checked for their Tilapia species. The males of the (so-called) T. andersonii mostly showed an overall greenish colour and a strong jaw enlargement, characteristics which point toward hybridization with T. mortimeri. The same characteristics were noticed in the T. andersonii males at Mwekera Fish Farm and at Kalimba AMI Farm (Note : the male of T. andersonii should have a more reddish-pink head) Thus, the presently used strains of T. andersonii can be hybrids of T. andersonii and T. mortimeri.
On the other hand, Tilapia nilotica, by now the most widespread species in Tilapia culture, has been already introduced in some aquaculture centers, and has established wild populations in the Kafue Flats and in Lake Kariba. This species can no longer be totally avoided, and may constitute a valuable asset for cage culture.
Therefore a comparative investigation of some Tilapia strains could be very useful for the development of aquaculture during the next decade.
Cage culture strains to be tested in the southern area are:
The Chilanga strain of T. andersonii (also present at Mwekera and Misamfu) should be checked for specific purity, and should be abandoned if not pure.
Government stations in Mwekera and Misamfu in the north and northeast are appropriate for possible experimental work and for demonstrations and fish seed production. In the southern area, the Chilanga Station seems no longer suitable as a research, demonstration and pilot station, because of the drought, the road works, the enlargement of the major N-S road (which runs right through the station), and the human settlements linked to road improvement. Therefore a new experimental station to be situated in an area where water supply is no problem, seems indicated. The area along the Kafue-Flats downstream of the bridge may be suitable; pond construction and pond culture are also possible in this area.
If research and demonstration is to be restricted to cage culture, then a site on lake Kariba near Siavonga seems more suitable, and an agreement or joint venture with the Lake Kariba Fisheries Research Institute at Kariba could even be more economical.
During discussions at the Fisheries Department, the possibility of trout farming (practised on the Malawi side of the Nyika plateau) was examined. A visit was made to the Zambian part of the Nyika plateau and special interest was paid to possible trout culture in the highlands near Mbala.
The Zambian part of the Nyika plateau is lower than the Malawi part (± 1850 m to 2200 – 2400 m) and is not suitable for trout culture and even for aquaculture in general. There are too few rivers and no permanent rivers, and the area is too isolated because of its difficult access (roads in bad condition).
Fish scouts of Isoka can visit the area only once or twice a year at most, and this is not enough even for follow - up of the few fish ponds which had almost no water, and no fish production.
Trout farming prospects are not bright in Zambia. Among the areas visited by the consultant, only the area just south-east of Mbala and between 1650m and 1800m was found suitable. To get a clear idea of trout farming possibilities, however, the following preliminary investigations are necessary:
a biological survey of the mountain rivers, their temperature curves, their fauna and their ecology, to get a clear picture of physical conditions, and the possible ecological impact and effects of that culture;
in a second phase, an economic feasibility survey, as the market (Lusaka) is some 800–1000 km away from possible production centres.
Altogether, however, the prospects for trout culture within Zambia do not seem very promising.
The Fisheries Department has to evaluate its attitude and policy toward foreign donors of development programmes, and take action according to this evaluation and the priorities established. Examples:
A Japanese assistance programme (full documents have not been seen by the consultant) proposed research work on the reproduction of Labeo altivelis for restocking the Luapula-Mweru fisheries; some research and hormone-controlled or induced reproduction in tilapia; and artificial spawning of carp. In September 1992, work had not yet started on Labeo altivelis which was the first goal; but the carp reproduction centre was almost in full operation, and important concrete pond construction had taken place at Mwekera.
This way the department and fish farmers will soon be flooded with carp seed, but nothing will come out of the Labeo programme. Also, the tilapia research is pending.
The NORAD-Fish Culture Development Project aims at training subsistence farmers, and giving them technical and practical advice on producing and distributing fish seed in the northwest area. The NORAD programme started with the upgrading of the Misamfu station and further focussed immediately after on carp reproduction, but not on the selection of the tilapia strains. A better control of these programmes is necessary when policies are hamonized with those of neighbouring countries. ALCOM could play a useful role in this process.
