Socio-economic Survey of Subsistence Fishing in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Book excerpt: A survey of subsistence or artisanal fishing in the Okavango Delta of Botswana, the report concludes that people who fish for food in the Delta are socio-economically marginalized, dominated by a single ethnic group, the BaHambukushu, predominantly women, with limited access to economic resources. Fishing is opportunistic and seasonal and mainly done with traditional baskets. The fishery's greatest value lies in the use of fish for food for domestic consumption. Some subsistence fishers claim that government and commercial fishermen try to stop them from basket fishing. The report points to the lack of a national fisheries policy. Such a policy could help support and safeguard this major source of livelihood.