Fishermen in Lupembe in the Karonga district of northern Malawi have said that the crocodiles that have flooded the beaches are causing fishing problems.
Three fishermen explained that one of their colleagues was attacked by crocodiles late last month when moving his vessel offshore.
"As he was about to disembark and the crocodile attacked him, it was like a movie – he disappeared into the water," one of the fishermen said.
The fisherman also explained that another fisherman had recently escaped a similar attack, however his arm was severely bloodied. The man was released after the crocodile was chased away by a group of locals.
Lake Malawi is one of the main fishing grounds in the country, with an estimated two million people regularly dependent on it as a food source. An extremely localised industry, over half a million people regularly fish in the lake.
Crocodiles have not been common in the past. Since last year, however, an unusually high number of them have been seen moving around the shallow waters frequented by fishermen and locals.
Raphael Mweninguwe
