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Fishermen fear tourists will destroy Okavango wilderness

Nov 22 2009 07:35

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Music, dancing and smiling platitudes greeted the royal guest in the fishing village of Samochima, northern Botswana. But cutting through the convivial mood was a cry of anguish -- and a plea for a way of life threatened by tourism in the world's largest inland delta.

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway had arrived as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). While addressing an audience in the shade of some fig trees, he was confronted by a local fisherman, Saoshiko Njwaki, who spoke out bluntly about growing resentment at the world's indifference to their plight.

"Tourists are allowed to go into the delta without local guides," Njwaki told the prince. "This is worrying to us because no one knows what they might do." It was only because of the intervention of a local conservation body that "all-out war" with tour operators had been averted, he said.

At stake is no ordinary prize. The Okavango Delta is a watery wilderness of channels, lagoons and islands that empty into the Kalahari desert. Its 16 000 square kilometres of swamps are filled with birds, crocodiles, elephants, hippos, lions and an abundance of other wildlife.

It is also Botswana's premier tourist attraction. For years the Southern African country has restricted visitor numbers to preserve its habitat. But the government now sees tourism as crucial to a diversified economy that cannot depend on diamonds for ever. The fishermen who rely on the delta for their livelihoods accuse tourists of riding roughshod over their needs and jeopardising the fragile ecosystem.

Njwaki, who as chairperson of the Okavango Fishers Association represents 400 commercial fishermen and women, said: "Tourists normally come here to see nature and for casual fishing, but they should do it in an orderly way. As people living here, we are very conscious of conserving our environment, but tourists come with their boats and disturb it. It causes problems for us and it affects the wildlife."

The fishermen's age-old mode of transport is the makoro, a canoe hollowed out from a tree trunk that glides along the waterways. It is helpless against the waves generated by tourists' motorboats.

"They don't respect us," Njwaki said. "When they come in motorboats they don't slow down for fishermen who are using dugout canoes. They also cut our nets. We have a further problem of houseboats. People pitch up to camp and throw their waste in the river. We formed our association to address these concerns, so they will do things properly with tour guides."

He said the association had appealed to the government for support, but without success. "We want tourism to be controlled, but the Water Affairs Ministry has been unable to tell us how to do it. We don't have a problem with people coming, but we need regulation. It shouldn't just be floodgates opening to people to do what they like."

CONTINUES BELOW

About 120 000 tourists visit the delta every year for attractions including the Moremi Game Reserve, more than a hundred camps and lodges and the rock paintings of the Tsodilo Hills.

Tour operators in Samochima reject the fishermen's arguments and accuse them of hurting local ecology by over-fishing. David Pryce, of the nearby Shakawe Lodge, described the criticism of tourists as "racist", adding: "When people are in the wrong, they like to find an excuse to blame someone else."

He estimated that the fish population in this part of the delta had dropped by 80% over the past 10 to 15 years and blamed the use of fishing nets bought with Norwegian donor aid. "I'd say tiger fish are down to 20% of what they were," Pryce said. "Now we don't promote fishing at all for visitors. We changed our name from Shakawe Fishing Lodge to Shakawe Lodge."

Preservation of the delta is a primary aim of the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre at Botswana University. It admits that there are "many questions" about the gains and drawbacks of tourism. It has called for greater efforts to share the benefits with poor people.

Dr Nkobi Moleele, the centre's national project coordinator, said: "I don't think there's a problem of too many tourists or how they behave, but there is a problem with our [management] system. Samochima is an open-access area: you can take your boat there and do whatever you want. This doesn't give communities the power to plan and agree how to do things. We don't know the numbers in these open-access areas because it's not controlled. That's the problem."

Botswana is the world's biggest diamond producer and reaps half its revenue from the gem stones. But the global economic crisis has caused their value to plummet and concentrated minds on finding alternatives. Experts predict that Botswana's diamond reserves will run out in 20 years, a time-bomb under one of Africa's most successful economies and stable democracies.

Ian Khama, the country's British-born president, said after his re-election last month: "We have always appreciated that our dependence on diamonds as a major revenue earner leaves us vulnerable, and therefore the need to diversify is very important."

Tourism, the second biggest economic sector, is ripe for growth. In the past, Botswana has styled itself as one of Africa's best kept secrets, pursuing a strategy of high-value, low-volume travellers. But earlier this year a 94-million pula ($14-million) expansion was announced, including a website aimed at the lucrative US market.

During his trip, Prince Haakon said he hoped the UNDP could help the rival factions reach a compromise. "It's all about balance so the tourism and fishing industries can find ways of working out their differences through democratic processes and peaceful means," he said. - guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media 2009

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Comments

It is a fact that lions, zebras, crocodiles and other animal species used to be part of northern wildlife but today all known lions in the north are the zoo lions imported from Africa. The original lions and other wildlife were killed by the north out of a misunderstanding the ecosystem as a natural habitat of so many species that depend on each other. So if the people raise their concerns over the manner in which tourists are conducting themselves, its not racism but ecosystem expertise.

True that diamond business has a lifespan, but if tourism is not controlled, the entire delta risk being lost all in the name of a few gains in curio purchases done by tourists.

It is not only the Okavango delta that is in trouble with tourists, African sacred places are the most vulnerable. Most tourists seem not to understand a shrine and its terms and conditions of maintenace.

bantu nzira on November 22, 2009, 11:35 am

Why is it that when someone cautions us about anything then it is called racism. I have been worried for a long time about the day when the 4x4 crowd with their boats and mess start arriving and taking over in a sensitive area like the Okavango Delta. They have destroyed SA like that because they have more money than brains. Listen to the voice of reason for heavens sake!

Mariann Scott on November 22, 2009, 1:31 pm

If 4x4s have been banned on African beaches, then motorboats should also be banned in the Okavango Delta. They should be limited to tourist only trips, not for anyone who owns a motorboat to ride around the delta at will. Such a fragile ecosystem deserves respect and protection. Same goes for the locals who are guilty of overfishing.

sally giles on November 22, 2009, 5:15 pm

Compromise - the oasis that is the Okavango needs to be preseved, but also used: not only for revenue but also education.

On the other hand, I have witnessed the use of nets in the delta and they are more distructive to the ecosystem than any motor boat might be. However, I am not condoning the use of motorboats either......damage to hippos by props is what should encourage the use of makoros as the traditional and preferred method of transport.

The Gadfly on November 23, 2009, 8:04 am

I am a sport fisherman who has been to the delta on numerous occasions. A large portion of the tourist trade comprise of sport fishermen. From all my interactions with other fishermen in the delta I have yet to meet one who does not practice catch and release principals. The problem to the fishing stocks of the delta lies with the locals and their fishing nets. The nets indiscriminately catches fish of all sizes and all species. They also catch far in excess of what they need and have commercialised the industry. Control the nets and the fish will recover.

Dee vanstripe on November 23, 2009, 9:43 am

Dee vanstripe:

You mean it is entertaining for you to catch fish by fishing hook, lift it up by tearing its mouth while blood is dripping and you really enjoy that? I call it a barbaric sport.

Yes Dee fish is food that can sustain humankind, in that case you can fish a catch enough for your consumption and you end there. But for you to call it sport and come often just to tear and rip apart several good mouths of nature fish is ludicrous.

bantu nzira on November 23, 2009, 12:49 pm

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Fishermen fear tourists will destroy Okavango wilderness

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