SOCIO- ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF COMMERCIAL FISHING IN THE OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA

1. SOCIO- ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF COMMERCIAL FISHING IN THE OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA B. N. Ngwenya & K. Mosepele INTRODUCTION The Okavango Delta (OD), a globally renowned Ramsar site, is located in the Ngamiland district in Botswana. About 98% of the entire district population live within the Ramsar site boundary and approximately 65% depend on fish directly from the Okavango delta area either as part of their diet and or source of income. This research projects focuses on socio-economic dynamics of commercial fishing in the Okavango Delta. • The specific objectives: • To assess the socio-economic status of commercial fisheries, • To examine commercial fishing households’ income levels and labor requirements. • To analyze of how fishing incomes are utilized. • To examine the role of women and children in commercial fishing • To survey and analyze fish marketing, distribution, and networks of trade and exchange. • DATA COLLECTION METHODS • Face-to-face survey of 41 or 80% of the total • commercial fishers population from 12 villages in • the OD were interviewed. • Three focus group discussions conducted • Semi structured interviews with key informants • Analysis of primary data from 43 ODM consultative kgotla meetings • Direct and unobtrusive participant observation • Extensive literature review • SUMMARY OF RESULTS • 1. Asset Profile • Arable farming fields’ most commonest asset (over 80%) followed by small stock while cattle are the least common • Fishing: 98% owned fishing nets, 72% aluminum boats and non had a wooden boat • 2. Investment behavior: CF use p/funds to purchase fishing assets.; 42% purchase F/Nets; 9% F/hooks; • Desirable future investment P5000 ± • 3. Income and Expenditure • Income:Fishing major source of income, formal sector (23.3%), temporary jobs (18.6%), thatching houses (14%), craft/ basket sales (2.3%) ; 86% earn between US$300/ month and less than US$100/ month from fish sales. • Expenditure: Food (74.4%); fuel and overheads (60.5%); Transport (58%); Education (48.8%) • 4. Marketing: Over 40% peddle their fish in villages, less than 10% sells to the private sector (lodges/ tourist camps). Most (58%) transport their fish on foot to their selling points, small proportion (3%) use refrigerated trailers • 5. Spatial and Demographic Variability: • Spatial: Overall, Ngamiland west had the highest proportion of commercial fishers (72.1%) • Demographic: 55% HH 1-2 youth aged 11-19 Basket fishing in summer particularly in the flood plains and lagoons, 49% <5yrs • 6. Selectivity: Index of relative importance (IRI): principal CF species: Oreochromis andersonii (three-spot tilapia), Tilapia rendalli (red breast tilapia) and O. macrochir (green-head tilapia). Basket fishing is non-selective • 28% of the fish species in the Delta are commercially harvested. • 7. Seasonality and labor: hot and dry season (62%)60% employ fishing assistants , 50% one employee, 20% three employees, just over 50% are active daily (including weekends), less than 10%) fish only one day per week • 8.Food Security: 55% households produce and consume their own food, (45%) indicated that fish provides for about half of their household food. • Conclusion: CF HH size is high , including proportion of children. High ownership of agric and fishing assets suggests relative affluence of CF HH compared to subsistence and basket fishers. CF demonstrates extensive fishing skills and impressive indigenous knowledge of fish ecology. More research is needed to integrate FEK in envisaged co- management structures of Okavango delta fisheries.