A senior research scientist at the World Fish Centre in Zomba, Malawi, Dr Daniel Jamu, has said that fish farming or aquaculture would pressure on fishing in Lake Malawi.
Dr Jamu was speaking in an interview over the weekend when asked on Malawi's progress on fish farming activities.
Over last 15 to 20 years, Malawi's fish production has dwindled from a production output of 30,000 tonnes per year to just 2,000 now.
The presidential initiative project is expected to improve fish production and it is estimated that by 2012 fish production would rise to about 5,000 tonnes a year.
Dr Jamu said fish farming was important for a number of reasons.
"Fish farmers are economically empowered and also the population gets protein from fish for their health," said Dr Jamu.
The average household in Malawi gets 70 percent of its protein intake through fish. Fish farming is therefore seen as a means of ensuring a steady income an addition to its nutritional benefits.
Since its launch in 2006, the Malawi Government's Presidential Initiative on Aquaculture Development has aimed to increase fish production through aquaculture.
Dr Jamu said that involvement of the private sector and NGOs in the sector would further help to improve and revive fish production.
Raphael Mweninguwe
