BY JACKSON MAPAPAYI
THE Musele community in Kalumbila has formed a cooperative called Musele Community Resource Board (MCRB) to manage fish resources
This is being done with financial support from Kalumbila Mine while technical support is from the department of fisheries.
MCRB will be responsible for managing fish resources and aquaculture in the Musangezhi and Chisola dams which were constructed by the mining firm.
The two dams have been restocked with 80, 000 and 15, 000 fingerings since 2014 to date respectively.
According to information available, the mining company further intends to stock an extra 10, 000 fingerings by the end of this year.
Kalumbila Minerals Limited Lead Wildlife and Forestry official, David Squarre, said the mining firm was confident that the programme would score measurable success.
He said the community would adequately benefit from the fish resources with revenue generated from fishing and guard against over exploitation of fish resources.
Mr Squarre said the initiative would provide alternative and sustainable livelihoods beyond the life of the mine.
He was speaking during the handing over of the certificate of incorporation.
“The combination of community structures through the Musele CRB, government through the department of fisheries gives assurance that this initiative will be managed effectively, transparently and sustainably, “ Mr Squarre said. He encouraged the CRB to consider putting up a hatchery which will be a source for fingerings that will periodically restock the dams.
“We would like to encourage the community to develop fish ponds where the fingerings will be supplied by hatcheries, because this will relieve and mitigate the fisheries department pressure on the dams,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senior Chief Musele advised the CRB to guard the facility against exploitation. He said the use of traditional methods of fishing should not be allowed in order to avoid depletion of the fish sources.
Meanwhile CRB chairperson, James Katanga, thanked the mining firm for the financial support and government for the technical support rendered to the community.
