Optimized management of the shores and environmental protection for stable development requires observing the shorelines and their variations. There has been lack of an up-to- date information of the Lake Malawi shoreline changes. This study aims to analyze shoreline changes along the shoreline of Lake Malawi, with a specific focus on the Mangochi District, using advanced geospatial tools. Landsat satellite data along a period of 30 years between 1993 and 2023 in 5 years interval were used to calculate the shoreline fluctuations. The spatial and temporal dynamics of shoreline changes were classified using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Tasseled Cap Analysis within ArcGIS 10.8. These methods were used to classify areas with high wetness, where high values correspond to water bodies. The findings indicate a considerable fluctuation in shoreline, with notable trends of both expansion and contraction of the shoreline. The data from 2003 shows the most significant expansion in the shoreline, indicating a notable shift in the shoreline position due to higher water levels. The most recent data from 2023 also indicates an expansion in the shoreline, slightly more extensive than in 2013 but less than in 2003, underscoring the dynamic nature of Lake Malawi's shoreline and its susceptibility to change. It has been observed that many buildings along the lake were constructed without considering historical data on shoreline changes. As a result, these buildings are now located in areas that were previously part of the shoreline. It is recommended that integrated coastal zone management and monitoring be established to ensure that issues which the lake is facing should be addressed in time. Integrated planning of tourism and agriculture sectors must be realized in coastal zone management.

Keywords: Lake Malawi, Shoreline, Water level, Coastal Zone Management, Mangochi