The Department of Fisheries in Lavushimanda District in Muchinga Province has harvested three thousand tilapia fish from local fish ponds situated in Mabonga area.
Assistant Aquaculture Officer at the Department of Fisheries, Ashes Mulenga, has disclosed that this is an initiative from a local farmer who stocked 6, 000 tilapia fingerlings in two out of ten fish ponds some eight months ago.
Mr Mulenga said the fish has matured and have so far harvested from one fish pond.
“We have assisted this farmer in harvesting the fish, which has all been sold and the farmer has realised about K10, 000 from the sale of the fish”, he said.
Mr Mulenga has called on the local community to consider venturing into fish farming as another source of income.
He stated that the market for fish is readily available in Lavushimanda owing to the non-availability of relish as most of it is imported to the area.
Mr Mulenga however, said the presence of a wild animal, locally known as ‘akababo’ is posing threat to fish farmers as the animal feeds on fish.
He has appealed to well-wishers such as Non-Governmental Organisations to support fish farmers by providing perimeter fences on the fish ponds in order to protect their business from the predators
