Chambo

Chambo is a very valuable food fish endemic to lake Malawi, which plays a very important role in the lake communities’ economy and gastronomic culture.
Under the name chambo are gathered three closely related types of tilapia, all registered under the genus Oreochromis and subgenus Nyasalapia: Oreochromis karongae, Oreochromis lidole and Oreochromis squamipinnis.

All of them are classified as endangered. Indeed the species has seen its population drastically reducing ever since the 1990’s, mostly due to its overfishing. As is the case for usipa, another fish endemic to this lake that has boarded the Ark of Taste, there are no specific rules regulating the fishing. Many fishing practices have thus been developed that do not enable the fish stocks to be maintained: cycles of reproduction are not respected; the fish is caught even if still too small, for example.

Some of these fish are found offshore on the lake and others can be found at weedy and rocky areas in the rivers since they feed by rasping the surfaces of rocks and weeds. They usually swim in the water in groups.
Chambo, as one of Malawians’ most favored fish, is traditionally served to welcome guests, along with nsima, a dish made from maize flour, or rice.