In Malawi, technology and local researchers provide critical insights for fisheries management

“When you search the internet for the status of fisheries in Lake Malawi, you learn that it has a diverse species of ecological importance,” says Mbumba Chalira, a graduate student at Malawi University of Science and Technology. “But at the same time, you learn that some species have been declining at an alarming rate.”

Chalira has always been passionate about fisheries. After earning her bachelor’s degree in fisheries and aquaculture, she is now pursuing a master’s degree in biodiversity informatics, combining her love of science and technology.

Throughout the year, Chalira travels along Lake Malawi collecting data on its fisheries. Her research and graduate studies are being supported by the USAID-funded Restoring Fisheries for Sustainable Livelihoods in Lake Malawi, or REFRESH, project led by Pact.

REFRESH works hand in hand with local communities, the government and other key stakeholders to restore Lake Malawi’s natural fisheries productivity and ensure that its aquatic habitats are healthy and well-managed, that endemic fish populations are self-sustaining and that Lake Malawi fisheries are sustainable.

Chalira’s work is critical to the project’s success.

Across Lake Malawi, local fishery management groups known as Beach Village Committees (BVCs) help protect the lake and its fish by educating communities on proper care for the lake, enforcing sustainable fishing practices, patrolling the lake, building fish sanctuaries and more. The data Chalira collects helps BVCs to know whether their methods are working.

Across Lake Malawi, local fishery management groups known as Beach Village Committees (BVCs) help protect the lake and its fish by educating communities on proper care for the lake, enforcing sustainable fishing practices, patrolling the lake, building fish sanctuaries and more. The data Chalira collects helps BVCs to know whether their methods are working.

“We have a goal to conserve species. We are trying to monitor progress to see if the interventions that we’re using are actually working and, if they are not, what it is that we can do,” says Chalira.

Through monitoring and data collection, Chalira’s findings are fed back to the BVCs, Department of Fisheries and other stakeholders. If, for example, there is evidence of new species of fish or more of a particular species, BVCs have evidence that their efforts are working. If species have declined or there is no growth, they know it is time to investigate further and potentially adjust their approach.

Chalira knows the data she collects is invaluable to many people. When an abundance of fish species is found, it is very encouraging to BVCs. The data is also useful for policymakers as they evaluate the success of decentralized fisheries management in Malawi. With accurate, up to date information on the fisheries, decision-makers are better equipped to make timely decisions regarding resource allocation, interventions and more.

One of the aspects of monitoring and data collection by the REFRESH project that excites Chalira the most is the use of a remote operated underwater vehicle, or ROUV.

The ROUV is the world’s most affordable high-performance underwater camera and is extremely flexible in its operations. According to Chalira, it is also much more efficient and, in the long run, cost-effective than traditional monitoring by divers. 

With traditional diving methods, divers must always go in pairs for safety purposes, so you have to procure diving equipment for each person. People are also limited in how long they can safely stay under water, so multiple dives may be necessary over an extended period of time depending on how much time the divers have recently spent under water. With the ROUV, it is more costly up front, but going forward, transportation costs from one site to the next is the primary cost. Additionally, there are no limits on the ROUV’s time under water. For Chalira, it takes minimum time and effort to collect data with the ROUV compared to what divers could collect.

This work is only part of the picture of improved data collection for better fisheries management in Malawi.

In 2022, the REFRESH project handed over smart phones, desktop computers and laptops to the Department of Fisheries for data storage and sharing to support the implementation of a mobile app for fish data collection, which the project developed in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries. And in February 2024, the project donated 64 tablets to District Fisheries Officers and the central research team to effectively manage and utilize digital data collection processes. These are two examples of how the project is supporting the transition of data collection methods in the fisheries sector from traditional paper-based processes to cutting-edge digital methods. They are also significant milestones for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change and the Department of Fisheries and their commitments to sustainably managed fisheries.

There are more exciting opportunities ahead for fisheries monitoring, including the integration of additional technology in day-to-day monitoring. As a novel tool for monitoring in Malawi, Chalira is working on a clear protocol for how to use the ROUV for biodiversity assistance. The current protocols are based on traditional diving methods. She is also exploring computer visual applications that offer opportunities for integrating artificial intelligence, or AI. Using AI to review the images collected by the ROUV, the counting, identification and classification processes could be automated.

For Chalira, what she wants to see from her work is the conservation of species and more chambo—one of the most popular fish in Malawi—in the lake today and for 100 years to come. Better data and improved tools for monitoring the fisheries is one important step in preserving Lake Malawi’s biodiversity today and for generations to come—for the benefit of the people of Malawi and the planet.