The Fisheries Department has challenged official figures putting the sector’s contribution to Malawi’s gross domestic product (GDP) at only 1 percent, arguing the real contribution is much higher.

Speaking to Zodiak Online, Moffat Manase, Deputy Director for Quality Assurance in the Department of Fisheries, claimed the sector actually contributes around 4 percent to GDP. He blamed outdated economic models for underrepresenting small-scale operators within the industry.

“The official quote has always been 4 percent since the late 1960s, but there has never been a comprehensive study to review the sector’s contribution to GDP,” said Manase.

He explained that current calculations rely heavily on tax-based enterprise models, which fail to capture informal small-scale fisheries.

“As a result, the National Statistical Office (NSO) uses tax data from enterprises, which excludes the vast majority of small-scale fisheries operators,” he added.

Manase said this underestimation has led to the fisheries sector being lowly prioritized, with minimal budget allocations and limited investments.

However, NSO spokesperson Samuel Chipokosa defended the office’s approach, saying Malawi follows international guidelines when compiling GDP figures, and that small-scale enterprises are factored in through Integrated Household Surveys.

“At the moment the NSO is fully complying with international guidelines in GDP compilation,” Chipokosa said. “If there is a difference, perhaps it is a matter of reconciling what the fisheries department expects.”

Meanwhile, fish supply remains low on the market, keeping prices high.