A Zimbabwean fisherman attempts to land his catch. Image credit deseretnews.com

ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Natural Resources: Fishing:Other fisheries in Zimbabwe

  • Both commercial and subsistence fishing also takes place in Zimbabwe’s internal dams.
  • The major ones include Lake Chivero and Manyame on the Manyame river and Lake Mutirikwi on the Mutirikwi river.
  • The major catch in these areas is the tilapia.
  • The tilapia (bream) was introduced into the Lakes Chvero and Mutirikwi as early as 1959 from Zambia.
  • These have successfully established themselves in many lakes in the country

River fisheries

  • Rivers are important fisheries in southern and central Africa regions.
  • Subsistence fishing is important along the major perennial rivers for example the Orange, Limpopo, Zambezi, and Shire among others.
  • The Zambezi and its tributaries for example boasts over 100 different fish species.
  • Catches are however small and are affected by the seasonal fluctuation of water levels.

Flood plain and marshes

  • Flood plains and marshes like the Barotse flood plain, the Kafue flats, and the marshes of the Luapula Valley among others are rich fish spawning grounds in south-central Africa.
  • They are rich in fish food and yield several thousand tonnes of fish annually.
  • The Barotse and Kafue flood plains in Zambia yield 11 000 tonnes of fish per year.

To access more topics go to the O Level Geography Notes page