06 Mar 2016

Lake Ngami Fish Marketing Cooperative Society chairperson, Mr Bareetsi Bogaisang says the suspension of fishing at Lake Ngami has affected the ocooperative.

He said he was optimistic that the opening of the fishing season this year would be a blessing to the newly established cooperative. 

Mr Bogaisang said the suspension was a drawback on their side, noting that Lake Ngami was the main source of fish and that many fishermen flock to the area hence the opening of the cooperative office in Sehithwa for easy accessibility.

He said they were aiming to benefit from the lake, adding that in other water sources fish has depleted, and that they do not expect more fish for the export market. He said the lake was a source of income for locals.

Fishing at the lake was suspended last year to give the Lake Ngami Conservation Trust a chance to address environmental problems brought by fishermen. The fishing season was opened on March 1 in other areas except Lake Ngami as there was a delay to address the challenges because an Environmental Impact Assessment had to be conducted before any permanent development could commence.

Mr Bogaisang said the cooperative was established last year after fishermen secured a lucrative market in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The main objective of the cooperative is to facilitate the marketing of fish products.

Other responsibilities of the cooperative are to market fish for members for the local and export market, and to ensure that the fishing business meets all the stipulated health requirements.

Mr Bogaisang said the suspension has also affected some cooperative members who had been trained in fishery under the poverty eradication programme, adding that beneficiaries had been given all equipment that was under-utilised. Ends