The Musele community in Kalumbila district with financial support from Kalumbila mine and technical support from the department of fisheries has formed a corporative called Musele Community Resource Board (MCRB).
The MCRB will be responsible for managing fish resources and aquaculture in the Musangezhi and Chisola dams which where constructed by the mining firm.
The two dams have been restocked with 80,000 and 15,000 fingerings since 2014 to date respectively.
The mining company further intends to stock an extra 10,000 fingerings by the end of this year.
Speaking during the handing over of the certificate of incorporation, Kalumbila minerals limited Lead Wildlife and Forestry Dr. David Squarre said the mining firm is confident that the program will score measurable success in ensuring that the community adequately benefits from the fish resources with revenue generated from fishing used to guard against over exploitation of fish resources.
He said the initiative will provide alternative and sustainable livelihoods beyond the life of the mine.
“The combination of community structures through the MCRB, government through the department of fisheries gives assurance that this initiative will be managed effectively, transparently and sustainably, ” said Dr. Sqaurre.
He encouraged the MCRB 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.
And senior chief Musele advised the MCRB to guard the facility against exploitation.
He said the use of traditional methods of fishing should not be allowed as it has potential to deplete the fish sources.
Meanwhile MCRB chairperson James Katanga thanked the mining firm for the financial support and government for the technical support rendered to the community.
