REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ARUSHA -- Tanzanian authorities on Tuesday expressed their concern over the depletion of fish stock in its northern-based fresh water bodies, blaming over-fishing and the use of illegal fishing gears on the natural fishery.

Located in northern Tanzania's region of Manyara, Lake Babati is highly affected, according to Crispin Meela, Babati District Commissioner.

"We have invited researchers from the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) to observe as why fish stock is declining in the Lake Babati, while the number of hippos is going up," the DC said, adding that the researchers would also work on other lakes such as Burunge and Manyara.

"We want to know the link with the fish stock decline and the increasing number of hippopotamus. Researchers will tell us on what to do to boost the fish stock in the fresh-water lake,"Meela added.

Lake Babati produces tilapia, clarius and prawns with an average of 53 tonnes per year, though in recent years the stock kept on declining, jeopardizing people's livelihoods in the area.

DC Meela further said that for years, the two water resources were in harmony "as government we have been putting measures to boost the fish stock in the lake including suspending fishing activities for about six months between January and June every year."

He further said that the increasing number of hippos has started posing threat to people living close to the lake as some of the aquatic resources stray from the water body in search for pastures.

Reports from the area have it that few years ago, the lake faced with horrid environmental disaster as trespassing fishermen were claimed to use poison in a bid to intoxicate fishes for easy capture.

Lake Babati is part of the 540,525 hectares that make up the area consisting of the total water body, roads and residential areas of Babati district which has 606,900 hectares.

These lakes are main sources of fish, another profitable line of income generating exports from Babati district. At the national level, the fishery sector employs more than 4 million people.

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