Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The buffalo fence has generated a lot of controversy in terms of proximity to grazing areas,
its inefficiency in separating buffaloes from cattle and poor fence maintenance by DAHP.
Another contentious issue within the ODRS is livestock predation by wildlife such as lions,
leopard, cheetah and other carnivores. The main concern is with regard to the issue of the
perceived low compensation and a moratorium on the killing of lions after predation.
Lake Ngami is a habitat for a variety of bird species. There has been uncontrolled hunting
in the area which has resulted in a moratorium imposed on hunting of birds pending the
declaration of Lake Ngami as a bird sanctuary.
Whilst illegal hunting has been contained to a larger extent, it continues to be a problem.
DWNP need to find ways of derterming the extent to which illegal hunting may be taking
place.
The hunting quota are normally determined by the DWNP and there is a concern that it
may not be based on scientific data and does not seem to be transparent.
3.3.6 FISHERIES
There is limited information on the <strong>Okavango</strong> fish stocks and this has resulted in
uncertainties in the management of fish resources.
The overlap of commercial fishing and angling/ recreational activities on the same fishing
grounds have often resulted in conflicts.
The only piece of fisheries legislation that exists is the Fish Protection Act of 1975, which is
very outdated. The <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> fishery is still an open-access fishery with no
regulatory mechanisms in place.
3.3.7 LIVESTOCK
Despite the contribution and potential shown by the livestock sub-sector, a number of
concerns and challenges relating to its long-term viability have emerged over the years. The
major concerns and challenges include, but are not limited to, the following:
Recurring droughts have had a negative impact on the livestock sub-sector by reducing
water and grazing availability and thereby negatively impacting on livestock condition and
numbers.
As a result of competition between livestock and wildlife for grazing pastures and open
water sources, there is evidence of overgrazing, trampling and consequent depletion of the
resource around the periphery of the <strong>Delta</strong>. These problems are also exacerbated by the
occurrence of Dichapertatalum simosum (mogau) in the sandveld areas which tend to
confine livestock in smaller areas of the <strong>Delta</strong>.
Ngamiland district is prone to livestock diseases outbreaks which are predominantly
introduced through the interaction between livestock and wildlife. In particular, Foot and
Mouth Disease (FMD), Nagana in cattle (Trypanosomiasis) and Contagious Bovine Pleuro
Pneumonia (CBPP). With respect to nagana the control of tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans
centralis) has attracted controversy around the environmental impacts of the measures
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