The Economic Benefits of Fishing in Mpulungu District, Zambia

This report investigates the economic benefits of the fishing industry among the local people of Mpulungu District in Zambia. The study explores the significance of fishing as a source of income, employment, and food production in the region. It examines the various methods of fishing, including both traditional and commercial practices, and assesses the challenges faced by the industry, such as the use of unorthodox fishing methods. The research also delves into the relationship between fishing and economic development in Zambia, aiming to identify potential solutions to mitigate the challenges faced by fishermen and promote the sustainable growth of the fishing sector. The methodology includes both quantitative and qualitative research methods, utilizing questionnaires, interview sheets, and data analysis to gather and interpret the findings. The report emphasizes the importance of the fishing industry to the national economy and aims to provide valuable insights for stakeholders and policymakers to improve the conditions within the fishing industry.

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish often in the water bodies. Techniques for catching
fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping. Fish is caught mainly to be
eaten, but at times fishing is done as a recreational pastimes or sport. Fishing tournaments are
held, and caught fish are sometimes kept as preserved or living trophies.
Zambia has a rich endowment of water resources such as including rivers, lakes, swamps, flood
plains and streams which are stocked with different types of fish which are a source of proteins,
income, and employment for the local people. Fisheries and aquaculture provide direct and
indirect employment to people and helps in developing the country countries.
Mpulungu is one of the towns in the Northern Province of Zambia, at the southern tip of Lake
Tanganyika which has a lot of fish in its water bodies. The district is rich in a variety of fish
spices. Fishing in Mpulungu district is dominated by artisanal fishers using both traditional and
commercial vessels Aboagye, (1986).
There are various methods used in fishing by the local people in Mpulungu such as boats, nets,
canoes, small mesh nets for fishing i.e. mosquito nets, use of various unorthodox materials as
fishing nets such as shade cloth and even bed sheets, poisons, explosives and many more. This
research looks the economic benefits of fishing among the local people of Mpulungu district

1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The fishing industry is an activity to the national economy and contributes significantly to
employment, income and food production. Recently the Fishing in Mpulungu has been has been
an important economic activity and many local people venture into the industry as a source of
employment and income. This research therefore, try’s to ascertaining the underlying factors that
makes fishing to be an important economic benefits of fishing among the local people of
Mpulungu district.
1.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
There has been a general rise in the demand for fish in among the people in communities and in
the business industries. Despite Zambia having several other economic ventures such as mining
and agriculture, the fishing industry has proved to be one of the important business ventures that
can boost Zambia’s economy through local sales and importations. Little research has been done
on the economic benefits of fishing among the local people in Mpulungu district, therefore, this
research intends to investigate the economic benefits of fishing among the local people of
Mpulungu district.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is important in that its findings may help the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in
finding ways of putting up interventions that would help fishermen in improving their business
and overcome the various challenges they may be facing in the fishing industry. The information
may also be helpful to various stakeholders and policy formulators to modify the conditions to
develop the fishing industry.
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1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE
To investigate the economic benefits of fishing industry among the local people of
Mpulungu district.
1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. To find out the challenges faced by the fishing industry in Mpulungu district.
2. To investigate the relationship between fishing and economic development in Zambia.
3. To find out possible solutions to reduce challenges faced by the fishing industry.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the challenges faced by the fishing industry in Mpulungu district?
2. What is the relationship between fishing and economic development in Zambia?
3. What are the possible solutions to reduce challenges faced by the fishing industry ?
1.5 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study will require a lot of time for it to be carried out effectively. It will also require a lot of
finances as some of the areas of study in Mpulungu District are located in distant areas which
requires some transportation costs.
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1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
 Academic performance - how well a student is accomplishing his/her tasks and studies.
 Dropping out - stopping school before completion
 Early marriage - a formal or informal marriage or union entered by an individual before
reaching a certain age.
 Education for all - every child given equal opportunity to be educated
 Non-Governmental Organization- an organization run by other independent people other
than the government.
 Teenager - A person between the ages of 13 and 19 years.
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 INTRODUCTION
In the proceeding chapter the research outlines some statements, comments and points written by
other scholars that highlight the economic benefits of the fishing industry. The chapter defines
fishing and looks at methods of fishing as well as its economic importance to the people
worldwide, Africa and Zambia in particular Mpulungu district.
2.1 Definition and history of Fishing
According to the Oxford Dictionary (2000), Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are
often caught in the wild but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water. Techniques for
catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping. "Fishing" may
include catching aquatic animals other than fish, such as molluscs, cephalopods, crustaceans, and
echinoderms. The term is not normally applied to catching farmed fish, or to aquatic mammals,
such as whales where the term whaling is more appropriate. Fishing is an ancient practice that
dates back to at least the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic period about 40,000 years ago.[3]
Isotopic analysis of the remains of Tianyuan man, a 40,000-year-old modern human from eastern
Asia, has shown that he regularly consumed freshwater fish. (Macionis,2004)
2.2 Economic benefits of fishing
Fish is mainly caught to be eaten, however it may also be used as recreational pastimes. Fishing
tournaments are held, and caught fish are sometimes kept as preserved or living trophies. When
bioblitzes occur, fish are typically caught, identified, and then released. According to the United
Nations (2002) FAO statistics, the total number of commercial fishers and fish farmers is
estimated to be 38 million. Fisheries and aquaculture provide direct and indirect employment to
over 500 million people in developing countries. In 2005, the worldwide per capita consumption
of fish captured from wild fisheries was 14.4 kilograms, with an additional 7.4 kilograms
harvested from fish farms. The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with
taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish
products. It is defined by the FAO (2002) as including recreational, subsistence and commercial
fishing, and the harvesting, processing, and marketing sectors. The commercial activity is aimed
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at the delivery of fish and other seafood products for human consumption or use as raw material
in other industrial processes.
2.4 Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the capture of fish for commercial purposes. Those who practice it must
often pursue fish far from the land under adverse conditions. Commercial fishermen harvest
almost all aquatic species, from tuna, cod and salmon to shrimp, krill, lobster, clams, squid and
crab, in various fisheries for these species. Commercial fishing methods have become very
efficient using large nets and sea-going processing factories. Individual fishing quotas and
international treaties seek to control the species and quantities caught. In Zambia commercial
fishing enterprise may vary from one man with a small boat with hand-casting nets or a few pot
traps, to a huge fleet of trawlers processing tons of fish every day. Commercial fishing gear
includes weights, nets (e.g. purse seine), seine nets (e.g. beach seine), trawls (e.g. bottom trawl),
dredges, hooks and line (e.g. long line and handline), lift nets, gillnets, entangling nets and traps
(FAO 2002).
2.5 Fish farm
Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture, while other methods may fall under
mariculture. It involves raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. A
facility that releases juvenile fish into the wild for recreational fishing or to supplement a species'
natural population is generally referred to as a fish hatchery. Fish species raised by fish farms
include salmon, carp, tilapia, catfish and trout. In Zambia and in Mpulungu there has been
increased demands on fish by commercial fishing which has caused widespread overfishing. Fish
farming offers an alternative solution to the increasing market demand for fish (WHO, 2012)
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CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
The research will employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative
approach will help the researcher to collect data that includes close-ended information while,
Qualitative approach which consisted of open-ended information will help the researcher to
gather through interviews, focus groups and observations
3.2 POPULATION
The target group for this research will be randomly selected community members, small scale
fishermen and a representative at the ministry of fisheries and livestock in Mpulungu District.
3.3 SAMPLE POPULATION
A sample will consist of four (4) community members, five (5) small scale fishermen, one (1)
representative at the ministry of fisheries and livestock in Mpulungu District
3.4 SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
A sample population will be picked at random. Questionnaires will be given to community
members and a representative at the ministry of fisheries and livestock while Interview sheets
will be used to interview small scale fishermen.in Mpulungu District.
3.5 RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaires and interview papers will be used to obtain data for this research. Questionnaires
will be used to collect quantitative data while interview papers will be used for questions with
the purpose of answering the objectives and in collecting qualitative data. The interview papers
will be administered to the authorities.
3.6 DATA COLLECTION
Responses which will be collected from the questionnaires and interview papers will be
presented in form of graphs, numerical data and tables.
3.7 DATA ANALYSIS
Data analysis will be done on the collected data and will be presented on graphs and tables. The
analysis of this type of data consists of statistically collected scores on instruments (such as
questionnaires) to answer research questions. The analysis of the qualitative data followed the
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path of putting it into categories of information and presenting it in form of ideas during data
collection.
REFERENCES
Beesham, N. (2000). Fishing industry in South Africa. Kwa Dlangezwa: University of
Zululand.
Bezuidenhout, F. J. (2008). Fishing Activities. Pretoria: Van Schaik.
CRS (2010). The truth about Fishing in economic recovery. Washington, D.C: International
Press.
Marston, C and King, E (2006). Factors that shape fisheries departments. New York:
Lancet.
Ministry of Fisheries, (1998). National population policy. Lusaka: MOE.
Oxford Dictionary, (2005). South African Concise Oxford Dictionary. Cape Town: Oxford
Publishers, Oxford University press.
UNICEF,(2006), Harmful tradition practices in fishing. A statistical exploration. New
York: UNICEF.
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Appendix i
THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
KASAMA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE
I am a student at Kasama College of education. I am currently gathering information on the economic
benefits of Fishing in Mpulungu District. I would like to have a brief discussion with you on this subject.
The information that you will provide to me is very important and it will help me prepare a thesis which
is a requirement my programme of study. The information you provide with be treated with strict
confidence and your name will not be published anywhere
INSTRUCTIONS:
i. Do not write your name your name on the questionnaire.
ii. Please answer all the questions.
iii. Write your answers in the spaces or tick in the boxes provided.
Part (i) General Information Name of school______________________
 Sex: Male Female
 Age: Above 25 Above 35 Above 45
 Qualification: Certificate Diploma Degree
Part (ii) Please answer all the questions.
1. Does Fishing have an economic benefits?
YES NO UNDECIDED
2. Do social, economic, and cultural factors have an influence fishing?
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YES NO UNDECIDED
3. Are all the fishermen empowered by government?
YES NO UNDECIDED
4. Are their possible solutions to challenges faced by fishermen?
YES NO UNDECIDED
5. What are the major economic benefits of fishing?
BUDGET
DESCRIPTION ESTIMATED COST
TRANSPORT K200
PAPERS K75
TYPING AND PRINTING K125
COMMUNICATION/CORRESPONDENCE K150
TOTAL K550=00
TIME SCHEDULE 1ST Week – Distributing Questionnaires
2nd Week –Collection of questionnaires
3rd week ----Interviews
4th Week ___ Drafting of reports
5th Week – Typing and editing
6th Week – Printing and editing
7th Week – communication and
Correspondence
8th Week -- Submission
Total Period (2 MONTHS)
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