Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has started issuing commercial crayfish fishing permits in northern Lake Kariba, as the invasive species has been linked to a drastic decline of kapenta fish in recent years.
The fresh water crayfish, brought from Australia are breeding out of control in northern Lake Kariba, devouring the food sources of other fish and putting the lake’s entire aquatic ecosystem at risk.

Zimparks commercial director, Liberty Nyaguse appealed to individuals, companies and co-operatives to consider commercial cray fishing.
“We feel that it is one of the ways to eliminate the fish from the lake,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of the sensitisation workshop for the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Water, Tourism and Hospitality in Hwange.

“Not many permits have been issued out. We call upon interested people and cooperatives to approach parks so that we give them the permits,” added Nyaguse.
The red claw crayfish, scientifically called Cherax Quadricarinatus and known colloquially in Australia as the yabby, cannot be poisoned without killing other fish.

It survives and multiplies in virtually any fresh water source. Though its flesh is high in protein it is not popular in the diet of ordinary Zimbabweans.
In stores in Harare, it sells for $9 a kilogramme and far more in upmarket restaurants patronised by the wealthy and well-travelled elite and Zimbabwe’s growing Chinese community.

As the decrease in kapenta fish in Lake Kariba reaches alarming levels, rigs are now reportedly catching less than a tonne per night, as compared to about three tonnes in the early 2000.

Bio diversity co-ordinator in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, Dr Chipanga Chirara said: “In 2000 fisherman used to catch more kapenta than now. One of the reasons being over fishing. There are now too many rigs in Lake Kariba and as a shared resource, Zimbabwe and Zambia need to work out modalities on dealing with over fishing.”

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