When we expanded our Fish for Tomorrow fish conservation project into Salima District in 2018, one of the biggest challenges that the team faced was how to stop children fishing with mosquito nets.

However, over the past three years, the team have worked closely with the District Fisheries Department to train 103 Beach Village Committees.

The members then educate not only fishermen but other community members including children and women who were using illegal fishing nets to catch baby fish in the shallow breeding areas.

Change takes time but it is very encouraging to see that so many fishermen are now using the correct nets and catching bigger fish.

Fish breeding sites are also being actively protected so the baby fish that these children would have caught in mosquito nets are now getting the chance to grow and breed.

There is still work to do in the district including the introduction of new fishing by-laws which will soon be agreed with the various stakeholders.