Wikipedia:WikiAfrica/Incubator/Stubs/Fishing in Malawi

Fishing in Malawi is a major industry in its coastal states. As well as Lake Malawi, rivers and smaller lakes and reservoirs provide varied fishing opportunities. Light tackle will cover most situations and some equipment may be available for hire at the resorts, though it’s always best to bring your own.

The majority of the 400+ species in Lake Malawi are small tropical aquarium fish, mbuna. However, sungwa (perch), ngumbo (lake yellow-fish), mpasa (lake salmon), sanjika (smaller relative of lake salmon), ncheni (lake tiger), kampango (catfish) and vundu (catfish) offer interesting possibilities. Fishing is year round but best between September and April.

The best river fishing is usually off banks of reeds and heavy weed beds. The Bua river, running through the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, is excellent for salmon with the Luweya, Lufira and North Rukuru not far behind. In the Lower Shire river, below the Kapichira Falls on the southern boundary of theMajete Wildlife Reserve, tiger fish are abundant, joined further down by vundu and barbel as the river broadens. Heavier tackle and a boat are needed here. Dry season fishing between May and November is possible in the Lower Shire river and requires no licence.

The streams and dams of Zomba Plateau, Mount Mulanje and Nyika Plateau are well stocked with rainbow trout. Only fly fishing is permitted, with flies tied on single hooks. The season is September to April.

Not only that. Lake Malawi was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984 on grounds that a sizeable part of the 1,000 fish species in it cannot be found anywhere else in the world. In short, there were plenty of valid reasons to justify why the fisheries story was worth pursuing.

Fishing contributes about four per cent to Malawi’s Gross Domestic Product, employing some 300,000 people. Sadly, fish stock in the lake and the rivers of the country has been dwindling over the years due to over-fishing.