Fisheries Dept to stock 26 dams with fish in sinazongwe

AUTHORITIES in the department of fisheries in Sinazongwe district in southern province will soon stock 26 dams with fish to reduce dependence on the natural water body the lake Kariba.

Sinazongwe fisheries training centre officer-in-charge Bornwell Hankolwe said the programme of restocking the 26 dams with fish will also enhance fish farming in Sinazongwe. 

Mr. Hankolwe was speaking in an interview with the National Agricultural Information Services (NAIS) in Sinazongwe. 

Mr. Hankolwe said the department of fisheries has established dam management committees in all the areas where the dams to be stocked with fish are situated. He explained that eleven members of each dam management committee will be trained in fish farming techniques and entrepreneurship skills at the fisheries training centre. 

Mr. Hankolwe named the fish species that will be stocked in the dams as the three spot bream, green headed bream and the red bream He was optimistic that dam management committee members will further acquire knowledge, skills and practices in fish farming after undergoing a short intensive training. 

‘’ As a department we are committed to train the community in fish farming techniques because it is more profitable and viable as compared to maize growing,’’ asserted Mr. Hankolwe. 

He further said the department is encouraging integrated fish farming with livestock, fish and vegetable gardening. 

Mr. Hankolwe stated that the main purpose of integrated fish farming with livestock and gardening is to use the manure for livestock in dams and leafs of vegetables to provide rich nutrition for fish. 

He said the fish that will be stocked in dams is more taste as compared to the fish in natural water bodies adding that overdependence in maize growing is slowly being reduced among the communities. Mr. Hankolwe explained that diversification by way of integrated fish farming is cardinal in the agriculture sector. 

‘’The department of fisheries in Sinazongwe however has a number of challenges that need to be addressed. The challenges include insufficient training equipment such as speed boats, banana boats and inadequate habour for launching water vessels,’’ said Mr. Hankolwe.