Abstract
Fishing is one of the key livelihood activities in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Subsistence fishers, commercial fishers and tourist lodge operators derive material and non-material benefits from fishery. However open access fishing has resulted in intergroup conflicts. The objectives of the study were to describe the nature of the fishing conflict and to suggest feasible conflict management strategies. A questionnaire based survey conducted among subsistence fishers, commercial fishers in four villages and among tourist lodge operators in the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta found that fishing in common grounds was the main source of conflict between commercial and recreational fishing. The paper discusses options for managing the conflict to avoid undesired consequences on the fishery resources of the Okavango Delta.
Highlights
Conflict over access and use of resources is a common phenomenon threatening sustainable use of resources at local, regional and international levels (USAID, 2005; Adjer & Luttrell, 2000; Mulonga & Murphy, 2003; Arntzen et al, 2003; Kiss, 2004; Buckles & Rusnak, 1999; Bennett et al, 2001)
A questionnaire based survey conducted among subsistence fishers, commercial fishers in four villages and among tourist lodge operators in the Panhandle of the Okavango Delta found that fishing in common grounds was the main source of conflict between commercial and recreational fishing
This paper examines the causes of conflict over fisheries in the Okavango Delta in an attempt to develop more appropriate and effective intervention strategies
Summary
Conflict over access and use of resources is a common phenomenon threatening sustainable use of resources at local, regional and international levels (USAID, 2005; Adjer & Luttrell, 2000; Mulonga & Murphy, 2003; Arntzen et al, 2003; Kiss, 2004; Buckles & Rusnak, 1999; Bennett et al, 2001). It arises when there are varied interests of people in particular resources (Yasmi et al, 2006; Sigh, 2002; Bennett et al, 2001; Hilborn, 2007). In most resource use conflict situations, lack of well-defined property rights is often cited as one of the fundamental causes of the conflict (Pomeroy, 1999; Baskaran & Anderson, 2005; Yandle, 2007)
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