Management plan for Tugwi-Mukosi on cards

Government has started working on a management plan for the optimal utilisation of the giant Tugwi-Mukosi Dam, to maximise economic benefits for the communities and the country through fisheries and related projects, an official has said.

Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said the inter-ministerial committee on Environment, Water and Climate was working on the final stages of the management plan.

He said Government was looking at producing over 1, 5 million fingerlings for breeding purposes at one of the country’s                 biggest inland reservoirs.

“The nation will soon realise the full implementation of the fisheries and recreation once the Government is through with the management plan,” said Mr Farawo. “The committee is almost through with the modalities.

“In the meantime, projects on water, such as fishing, are being implemented through allocation of permits to people from surrounding communities.

“We are inviting more applicants for fishing at the dam. So far, 140 have applied for the permits with 120 interested in gillnetting and 20 others focusing on cage culturing. It is our expectation that more permits will be issued by the Government subject to a comprehensive assessment of dam capacity and management plan.’’

Mr Farawo said Zimparks was worried over the rise in poaching at the dam.

He said the activities were threatening the fish population in the area.

“Our anti-poaching unit is busy on the ground flushing out some of the poachers wreaking havoc at the dam,” said Mr Farawo. “However, I don’t have the figures off-hand of those who have been nabbed engaging in criminal activities at the dam. These (poachers) have become a headache.’’

Tugwi-Mukosi was commissioned in May last year and is billed as a permanent panacea to recurrent food woes in drought-prone Masvingo Province because of its potential to irrigate more than 25 000ha in arid southern parts of the province.

The dam was built at a cost of nearly $300 million and besides irrigation, it also has potential to spur tourism and generate electricity through a mini-hydro power plant that would generate 15 megawatts.

So far, Government has managed to transfer over 100 000 kapenta and 200 000 other fish species for breeding purposes from Kariba Dam to Tugwi-Mukosi.

The transfer of fish species for breeding was done in an effort to boost its economic and recreational capacity.

The Masvingo Development Trust recently estimated that the reservoir could accommodate more than 2 000 applicants for fisheries projects alone.