Zimbabwe is a beautiful country in Southern Africa with rich growing fisheries and an aquaculture sector. The aquaculture sector helps improve food security, create jobs, and boost the economy. Even without access to the ocean, Zimbabwe has many freshwater bodies and artificial lakes. Many communities are dependent on fisheries, particularly in natural water sources for fishing. Despite challenges, Zimbabwe is finding different ways to strengthen this sector by implementing better management practices, using new technologies, and creating better systems. With the right investments and strategies, the fisheries and aquaculture sector can provide more food, create jobs, and strengthen the economy. All these aspects make Zimbabwe an important player in the regional fish market. Therefore, in this blog, we will briefly discuss the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Zimbabwe. 

1. Overview of Fisheries And Aquaculture of Zimbabwe

2. Fisheries

Major Fishing Areas

Aquaculture Development

Economic Contribution

Challenges and Sustainability

Governance and Management

3.  Aquaculture 

Fish Species Cultured

Aquaculture Systems

Government Initiatives

Challenges and Opportunities

4.  Importance of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Zimbabwe
5. Challenges of Fisheries And Aquaculture in Zimbabwe 

Shortage of High-quality Fingerlings 

Difficulty in Accessing Finance

Lack of Clear Aquaculture Laws 

Overfishing and Stock Depletion

High Costs of Compliance

Climate Change Effects on Fisheries

Low Investment in Fisheries and Aquaculture

Limited Training and Support

Poor Infrastructure in the Sector

Weak Collaboration in the Sector 

6. Solutions to Challenges of Fisheries And Aquaculture in Zimbabwe 

Create Fingerling Production Centers

Improve Access to Finance

Establish Clear Aquaculture Laws 

Promote Sustainable Fishing Practices

Lower Compliance Costs

Build Climate Resilience

Attract More Investment and Investors 

Enhance Training and Support Services

Invest in improving Infrastructure

Boost Collaboration Among Stakeholders

Fisheries and aquaculture in Zimbabwe are growing and becoming significant to the country’s economy. Lake Kariba, one of the world’s largest artificial lakes, is in Zimbabwe. They also have many rivers and other water bodies that support fishing. The country’s fisheries sector includes both traditional and modern fish farming techniques. Modern fish farming, especially for tilapia and catfish, is growing rapidly due to high demand. But challenges remain that disrupt these initiatives. These include overfishing, climate change, and limited resources. The government and private businesses are working together in partnerships to unlock this sector’s true and high potential. Both focus on reducing the need for imported fish and on improving local fish supplies for local people and other communities.

Major Fishing Areas
Zimbabwe’s main fishing areas are its reservoirs, with Lake Kariba being the largest and most important, producing about 90% of the country’s fish. Other key fishing locations include Lake Chivero, Manyame, Mutirikwi, and Mazvikadei.

Aquaculture Development
Zimbabwe has become one of the leading fish producers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Fish farming mainly focuses on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), which makes up over 90% of farmed fish. Most of this production comes from Lake Kariba. The government has launched large-scale aquaculture programs to boost food security, create jobs, and support rural communities.

Economic Contribution
The fishing industry plays a big role in strengthening Zimbabwe’s economy. Fish production has increased a lot, from 20,000 to 30,000 metric tonnes between 2022 and 2024. This was thanks to government-led agricultural and rural development programs.

Challenges and Sustainability
Despite Zimbabwe’s significant growth in this sector, it still faces various challenges. These include overfishing, climate change, and governance problems. Droughts have lowered water levels in Lake Kariba, affecting fish production and hydropower generation. People in Zimbabwe are continually working to adapt to these problems and create solutions.

Governance and Management
Zimbabwe’s fisheries are mainly controlled by the government through a top-down management system. But, there is increasing acknowledgement of the need for more all around policies to support small scale fishers and ensure the industry’s long term health and sustainability.

Fish Species Cultured
The most commonly farmed fish in Zimbabwe is the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), making up about 90% of the country’s aquaculture production. This fish is popular because it grows quickly and can survive in different conditions. Another important species is Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), which is mainly farmed in the cooler regions of Nyanga, Manicaland.

Aquaculture Systems
Zimbabwe uses different types of fish farming methods, including intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive systems. One of the most common intensive methods is cage culture, where fish are raised in enclosures placed in large water bodies like Lake Kariba. Companies such as Lake Harvest Aquaculture play a major role in the country’s fish production.

Government Initiatives
The government is actively supporting aquaculture to improve food security and create jobs. One major project aims to stock 1,200 dams across the country over five years. So far, 37 dams have already been stocked in multiple provinces.

Challenges and Opportunities
Aquaculture in Zimbabwe still faces difficulties such as limited access to quality fingerlings (young fish), lack of funding, and outdated technology. To solve these problems, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched a two-year project in 2024 to increase the production of high-quality tilapia fry, aiming for four million fry per year.

Fisheries and aquaculture are vital for Zimbabwe’s food security, economy, and environmental health. As the population grows and the demand for protein increases, fish farming has become a key strategy for improving nutrition and creating job opportunities. Aquaculture provides a steady source of nutritious animal protein, especially in drought-prone areas where other food sources are limited. Government and non-governmental organizations have promoted fish farming to boost food security and economic stability for households. The economic impact of fisheries is significant, especially in rural areas. The Zimbabwean government has launched a major aquaculture program to stock 1,200 dams over five years, with 37 dams already stocked. This effort is expected to create jobs, increase local incomes, and encourage economic growth in communities.

However, Zimbabwe’s fish production is still around 20,000 tons per year, while the national demand is about 60,000 tons. This creates a large supply gap. Lake Kariba is the main source of fish, contributing almost 90% of the country’s production. This gap presents an opportunity for investment to expand aquaculture. Aquaculture development in Zimbabwe has led to higher fish production, especially of Nile tilapia and rainbow trout. Since the early 2000s, production has increased from 2 to 8 tons annually, thanks to government and donor-funded programs. In addition to its economic and nutritional benefits, aquaculture promotes environmental sustainability. By providing alternative livelihoods, it reduces reliance on harmful practices that damage the environment. Responsible fish farming also helps protect aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. Overall, fisheries and aquaculture are essential for Zimbabwe’s economic growth and food security, with more investment needed to meet the growing demand and improve sustainability.

Challenges

1. Shortage of High-quality Fingerlings: The shortage of quality fingerlings impacts the growth and productivity of aquaculture in Zimbabwe.
2. Difficulty in Accessing Finance:  Optimistic fish farmers face problems securing enough funding and money to start and maintain their farms, with limited access to affordable, budget friendly loans.
3. Lack of Clear Aquaculture Laws: The absence of a dedicated legal structure for fisheries and aquaculture leads to unorganized development and execution issues.
4. Overfishing and Stock Depletion: Unsustainable fishing practices are lowering fish stocks, threatening biodiversity, and the livelihoods of fishing communities.
5. High Costs of Compliance: The weight of compliance costs disappoints fish farmers from formalizing their businesses, delaying sector development.
6. Climate Change Effects on Fisheries: Extreme weather events, especially droughts, are lowering water levels in lakes such as Lake Kariba. This results in impacting fish habitats and power generation.
7. Low Investment in Fisheries and Aquaculture: The lack of investment in the sector is limiting its growth and modernization potential.
8. Limited Training and Support: Fish farmers struggle without access to training and technical support. This makes it harder for them to adopt best practices and boost productivity.
9. Poor Infrastructure in the Sector: The sector suffers from insufficient infrastructure, such as processing facilities and transportation networks, leading to inefficiencies.
10. Weak Collaboration in the Sector: The lack of coordination between the government, the private sector, and fish farmers leads to partial efforts and missed growth opportunities.

Solutions 

1. Create Fingerling Production Centers: Building hatcheries for high-quality fingerling production can ensure a steady supply for fish farmers. The FAO and the Zimbabwean government have started hubs to support the aquaculture sector and improve food security.
2. Improve Access to Finance: Offering financial programs, such as low-interest loans and grants, can help fish farmers get the funding they need to start or grow their farms.
3. Establish Clear Aquaculture Laws: Passing a Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill can give clear guidelines and rules. This will ensure sustainable practices and attract investment. The bill will state challenges like overfishing and weak regulation.
4. Promote Sustainable Fishing Practices: Promoting community management and educating fishers on sustainable practices can prevent overfishing and protect fish stocks. The new bill will help manage these challenges.
5. Lower Compliance Costs: Making regulations easier to understand and providing support can reduce compliance costs, making it easier for fish farmers to grow their businesses.
6. Build Climate Resilience: Building strategies to protect aquaculture from climate change, such as building water storage and using drought-resistant fish species, can help sustain farming in hard conditions.
7. Attract More Investment and Investors: Offering incentives like tax breaks and partnerships can bring in more important and profitable investments and investors to the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
8. Enhance Training and Support Services: Strengthening training and support services for fish farmers can help them improve productivity and adopt sustainable practices.
9. Invest in improving Infrastructure: Upgrading processing facilities, cold storage, and transport can improve efficiency in the fish value chain. This can also lower waste and open up more chances for markets.
10. Boost Collaboration Among Stakeholders: Creating opportunities for cooperation and partnerships among the government, the private sector, and fish farmers can lead to coordinated efforts and more effective resource sharing.

Zimbabwe’s fisheries and aquaculture sector has great potential to become the top in the global market. With its rich freshwater resources, the country can farm and raise a large amount of fish, reducing the need for imported fish and ensuring a sufficient supply for locals. The sector helps improve food security, boost the economy, and create jobs. Even though there are challenges such as overfishing, climate change, and limited resources, these can be addressed by Zimbabwe through targeted investment in technology, infrastructure, and strong policies. In partnerships, the government, private businesses, and fish farmers are working together to improve the industry through better management techniques and the use of new, advanced technologies. With the right approach, the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Zimbabwe can improve the livelihoods of the local communities and significantly contribute to its economy.