26 Jul 2023

Legislators have taken the opportunity presented by the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks (Amendment) bill of 2022 to advocate for aquaculture.

When debating the bill during the ongoing winter session, Members of Parliament said the breeding, rearing and harvesting of fish was an opportunity for the country to address the problem of unemployment, especially among the youth and women.

MP Taolo Lucas of Bobonong said harmonising laws regulating the fish industry was key to empowering members of the society who were marginalised in economic participation.

The MP stated that Batswana were not benefiting enough from shared water sources when compared to their counterparts in neighbouring countries.

Gaborone North legislator, Mr Mpho Balopi said there was a need to ensure that people living along rivers and near dams were adequately empowered to benefit from fish.

 Mr Balopi said when crafting laws and policies there had to be a special dispensation for people living along water sources so as to support their livelihoods.

He added that for Botswana to attain a high-income status, the economy should be inclusive and support local communities.

Ramotswa legislator, Mr Lefoko Moagi stated that Batswana had always co-existed alongside wildlife and that international organisations such as CITES should not make the county to come up with polices that disadvantaged its communities.

Mr Moagi further called for awareness on aqua culture so that Batswana were prepared to take advantage the resource. 

He said groups such as village development committees, community based natural resources management committees and bogosi should be brought onboard.

Mmathethe/Molapowabojang MP, Dr Edwin Dikoloti also supported the bill and said Botswana was not a fish-eating nation although promoting fish eating was healthier as it would assist in the fight against some non-communicable diseases.

He added that most of the fish consumed in the country was imported.

He also said the time had come for the country to embrace fish farming and that communities with water bodies should be assisted to take advantage of the resource.

Kgalagadi South MP, Mr Sam Brooks said Batswana in his area were benefiting less from international rivers such as the Molopo River and Two Rivers when compared to their counterparts from neighbouring countries.

He called for deliberate efforts to create water sources to support fish farming in his area.

Francistown South legislator, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said the bill was aimed at satisfying CITES requirements.

He said fishing regulations in the country were stringent and disadvantaged local communities when compared with neighbouring countries, which shared the same water sources with Botswana.

He said every year when the country imposed a fishing ban, communities in neighbouring countries continued to fish as they did not have those regulations.

Mr Eric Molale of Good Hope/Mabule constituency said laws, policies and regulations were informed by the needs of people and that needs kept on changing, hence the need to constantly review.

He supported the bill, saying fish farming should be integral part of farming as fish were easy to keep and that they matured faster.

Mr Molale said there was also a need to look into how fish farming could be introduced in areas with salty waters and called for research to protect fish without disadvantaging local communities.

Palapye MP, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi supported the bill, saying it was the right step by the government and that fish matured fast.

He said Batswana stood a chance to benefit from fish farming and further said though CITES was a good organisation, some of its strategies disadvantaged Batswana. Ends