Fishers’ Willingness to Support Management of the Engraulicypris sardella ( Günther , 1868) Fishery in Lake Malawi

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite being the dominant catch in Lake Malawi and vital to local food systems, Engraulicypris sardella (Usipa) has experienced fluctuating catches over the past decade and remains vulnerable to collapse. Its poorly documented and understudied biological characteristics have raised debate about the legitimacy of its management, which has led to differing views and perceptions among stakeholders. Therefore, the present study was conducted to understand the perceptions of direct fishery users using the willingness to pay (WTP) approach to assess fishers’ stated preferences for sustainable management of E. sardella . Data were collected from 355 small‐scale fishers in Nkhotakota between July and October 2023. Results demonstrated strong support for management interventions, with average annual WTP values of $49.04 using the double‐bound dichotomous choice model, $51.21 for the spike model, and $54.44 via a non‐parametric sample approach. These values align closely with the current licensing fee of $47.04, indicating potential for a more structured, fee‐based licensing system to support sustainable management. Key predictors of WTP included younger age, higher income, participation in beach village committees (BVCs), higher catch rates, and prior knowledge of fishery management. These findings underscore the need to design inclusive and knowledge‐driven governance mechanisms that align with fishers’ preferences and socio‐economic profiles to ensure long‐term sustainability of the E. sardella fishery.