Further Evidence for the Negative Consequences of Mosquito Net Fishing

A 2018-2019 Seed Grant Award
Co-Principal Investigator: David Larsen
Principal Investigator: Rick Welsh

CUSE Grant – Interdisciplinary innovation, $30,000

Hundreds of millions of insecticide-treated mosquito nets have been distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa for the control of malaria. While successful in controlling malaria, these nets also make excellent fishing nets. Our previous research suggests that the practice of mosquito net fishing is ubiquitous and devastating to the fisheries of the floodplain of the upper Zambezi in Western Province, Zambia. We hypothesize that the current paradigm of mass distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets threatens economic and food security as well as malaria control. Herein we propose furthering this research with three aims. First, we will attempt to quantify the use of mosquito nets in illegal fishing through secondary data analysis of Liuwa National Park poaching patrols. Second, we will explore fish landings data that may or may not exist in Zambia. And third, we will conduct experiments to determine how pyrethroids may leach from ITNs into water as well as how these pyrethroids affect larvivorous fish and the productivity of breeding sites in producing malaria vectors.