The Chairman of Ngamiland Conservation Trust Galefele Maokeng says that he is hopeful that come March 2018, fishing in Lake Ngami will resume after the suspension which is going into its second year now.
The Botswana government through the ministry of environment, Wildlife and Tourism banned fishing at Lake in 2015 citing environmental concerns.
Maokeng revealed that the trust has since constructed some abolition blocks to be used by fisher men during the time they will be camping and fishing adding that he hopes that three of them will be ready to use at the beginning of fishing season in March.
Besides the abolition blocks he says that they have also fenced some of the fishing areas to keep intruders which are unlicensed fishermen out.
The trust is said to have solicited the funds for the projects from the government through the Nyeletso Lehuma programme.
“I am hopeful that fishermen will resume fishing in the next three months at Lake Ngami and once more earn a living”, he said.
On other issues, Maokeng said that the trust is still trying to get more financial assistance so as to buy refrigerators they will use to store fish for fisher men to enable them to be able to negotiate better prices for their fish.
What has been happening before the suspension of fishing he said was that fisher men were forced to sell their fish at give away prices fearing they will rot if not sold immediately. Foreigners he said were the main beneficiaries in this scheme of things which he said had ended with the government banning exportation of dried fish.
Suspension of fishing in Lake Ngami had over the past years angered fishermen who had in some cases ignored the ban ending up being arrested.
