Fish on the dock
Fish on the dock
With more than 1,000 species of fish, Lake Niassa is the richest body of freshwater on the planet. Ninety-nine of its species are found only in this lake and include cichlids, ussipa, lake salmon, and tilapia, which are vital sources of both protein and incomes for the lakeshore fishermen. As the chargé d’affaires for the U.S. Mission to Mozambique, Christine Elder, commented in her remarks at the launch celebration, “The crystal blue waters of the lake and the diversity of life that they contain are a local, national, regional and global treasure.”
USAID has worked in partnership with the government of Mozambique, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Coca-Cola Company to protect the species and natural habitats of the of the most biodiverse freshwater lake on earth. Protecting Lake Niassa creates important economic opportunities for local fishing and tourism industries. (Photo: Christian Smith/USAID). Original public domain image from Flickr