A First for Fisheries Co-management: Celebrating the Inaugural Fisheries Management Areas in Zambia
Chiawa, Zambia (March 16, 2026) – Today, the government of Zambia has handed over statutory instruments for the recently declared Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs) in Chiawa and Namoomba communities. The two FMAs are in the very first cohort of FMAs ever gazetted in Zambia.
Both FMAs are located in a trans-boundary section of the river between Zambia and Zimbabwe, within the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools landscape. The area is known for its nature and wildlife, drawing thousands of tourists each year to see elephants, lions, hippos and other iconic species.
The declaration was achieved through support of the regional Pro-nature Enterprise Project, led by Conservation International with Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ) leading implementation in Lower Zambezi. CLZ works in partnership with the Department of Fisheries, tourism operators, traditional leadership and other local stakeholders. This collaborative and inclusive process has been supported by the French government through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM).
To complement the two FMAs, the government has also approved Fisheries Management Plans that will guide the implementation of fisheries co-management among the various stakeholders in the landscape.
“The FMAs formally recognize the communities as the central stewards of their fisheries resources in a place they have lived for many generations,” says Dr. Jimmiel Mandima, Conservation International’s Chief Field Officer for Africa. “From the government to the communities, all who are involved in this milestone are committed to keeping the river full of healthy fish stocks.”
The river is the most important source of daily protein for over 4,000 households living along its banks. Around 200 artisanal fishermen derive their incomes from fisheries. Moreover, sport fishing is core to the tourism industry, which employs hundreds of local people.
Conservation International and implementing partners have used Conservation Agreements as a regulatory framework preceding the full declaration of the FMAs. The Conservation Agreements with the local community provide incentives, such as sustainable fishing gear and boats, for communities to adopt sustainable fishing practices.
The approved management plans, have borrowed heavily from a policy paper drafted by Conservation International and the Zambia National Forum for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
"We are really excited at having the first set of FMAs ever declared in Zambia. In particular, Lower Zambezi FMAs are in a unique trans-boundary ecosystem famous for its fauna and flora,” said Evans Mutanuka, Director or Fisheries in Zambia. “We hope to closely monitor and learn as the FMAs implementation begins for replication in other parts of the country."
“The French government is proud of the results achieved by the Pro-nature Enterprises project in Zambia and beyond. We are convinced that thriving ecosystems translate into prosperity for local communities. We will continue to invest in partnerships that foster sustainable and meaningful development and recognize communities as stewards of nature. This is why France supports this project in particular, as well as the Department of Forests and ZAFFICO, which it has been supporting for nearly two years,”
"By supporting sustainable co-management of fisheries in the Lower Zambezi, the FFEM, in partnership with Conservation International, demonstrates that biodiversity conservation can be a powerful lever for social justice. This project helps secure livelihoods, strengthen local communities' usage rights, and generate sustainable economic opportunities, while protecting the ecosystems on which these communities directly depend,”
“The Fisheries Management Area empowers us as a community to take responsibility for protecting fish, breeding areas and preventing illegal fishing,” said Alick Nyiromo, Chiawa Fisheries Management Chairperson. “With an influx of fishermen from all over, we are excited that this framework gives us mandate to enforce sustainable practices”.