Final Technical Report - ACP Fish II - Welcomeacpfish2-eu.org/uploads/projects/id273/1. Final...

"Strengthening Fisheries Management in ACP Countries"

Project Funded by the European Union.

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Dr Brian Marshall and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

The content of this document does not necessarily reflect the views of the concerned governments.

Final Technical Report

SUPPORT IN DEVISING A COMMUNITY BASED FISH STOCK ASSESSMENT

AND MONITORING PROGRAMME – LESOTHO

Project ref. N° SA-3.2-B16

Africa: Lesotho

April 2013

A project implemented by:

SUPPORT IN DEVISING A COMMUNITY BASED FISH STOCK ASSESSMENT AND

MONITORING PROGRAMME – LESOTHO

Project Funded by the European Union A project implemented by Harewelle International pg. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary 4

1. Background 6

1.1. Introduction 6

1.2. Description of the selected reservoirs 7

1.2.1. Likhetlane dam 7

1.2.2. Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams 8

2. Approach to the assignment 11

2.1. Inception phase 11

2.2. Implementation phase 1 11

2.3. Implementation phase 2 12

3. Comments on the Terms of Reference 12

4. Organization and methodology 13

4.1. Delivery of Terms of Reference 13

4.2. Conduct and details of the assignment including visibility activities 15

4.2.1. Inception phase 15

4.2.2. Phase 1 15

4.2.3. Phase 2 16

4.2.4. Visibility 17

4.2.5. General remarks 17

5. Conclusions and recommendations 18

5.1. Conclusions 18

5.2. Recommendations 20

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Figure 1. Likhetlane Dam: (a) satellite view from Google Earth, (b) during a fish

survey. 8

Figure 2. The Maqalika (upper) and Sebabolong (lower) dams surrounded by

urban development in Maseru (from Google Earth). 9

Figure 3. Top left: White-throated Swallows roosting on a bank in the exposed

bed of Maqalika dam; note the litter. Top right: a creek in Sebaboleng covered

with duckweed (Lemna spp.) which frequently indicates organic enrichment;

note the litter. Left: dead fish near the creek in Sebaboleng. All were carp and

no catfish were killed, which indicates deoxygenation of the water (catfish are

air-breathers and can survive in water with little oxygen) probably as a result of

organic matter, such as sewage, being discharged into the water. 10

Table 1. Summary of activities required by the Terms of Reference and a

comment on their execution. 14




LIST OF ANNEXES

Annex A: Terms of Reference 22

Annex B: Itinerary, institutions and persons consulted 36

Annex C: Inception report 38

Annex D: Interim report 44

Annex E: Reports and documents consulted 64

Annex F: Workshop reports 65

Annex G: Baseline stock assessment 84

Annex H: Management plan: Likhetlane dam 90

Annex J: Management plan: Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams 93

Annex K: Guidelines for fisheries management 97

Annex L: Guidelines for data collection 105

Annex M: Proposed budget for new equipment 108

Annex N: Consultant’s presentation to Training of Trainers Workshop 109

Annex P: Consultant’s presentation to Validation Workshop 144

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The consultant acknowledges the assistance of Ms Seipati Mofolo (Chief Fisheries Production

Officer) and Ms Nthabiseng Morokole (Fisheries Officer) from the Fisheries Section of the

Department of Livestock Services for their general assistance throughout this contract, but

most especially in interpreting the workshop discussions and for preparing summaries in

English of these discussions. I am also grateful to Mr Simon Phafane and Ms Motselisi

Ramakoae for their logistical support during Phase 1 and Phase 2, respectively. Without their

help it would have been very difficult to arrange transport, the hire of a trailer and organise

the workshops.

The interest and enthusiasm of the participants at all of the workshops and during the fish

surveys was greatly appreciated and it was a pleasure to work with communities. They are

thanked for their kindness and tolerance of my inability to communicate in their language.




EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The ACP Fish II Programme provided support for a community based fish stock assessment

and monitoring programme. This was executed in two phases; Phase 1 in October-November

2012 and Phase 2 in February 2013, with each phase lasting for four weeks. The major

outputs expected from the consultancy were: (1) a baseline stock assessment in the selected

reservoirs; (2) a community based fish stock monitoring programme, and (3) guidelines for

training the communities in fish stock monitoring and co-management aspects.

The reservoirs selected were the Likhetlane dam in the Leribe District, and the Maqalika and

Sebaboleng dams in Maseru. The project began with a Training of Trainers Workshop

attended by selected government officials and members of the communities involved with the

dams. This workshop introduced them to the concept and principles of stock assessment and

fisheries management.

This was followed by an attempt to assess the fish stocks in the three dams, which met with

mixed success; the nets were pulled out at Likhetlane while the weather turned very cold

when the survey at Maqalika was carried out with the result that few fish were caught.

Two Community Training Workshops were organised for the second phase, one at Likhetlane

and one in Maseru. These were attended by representatives of the communities, including

chiefs and councillors, as well as fishermen and others. These discussed monitoring the

fisheries for stock assessment, aspects fisheries management and the legal framework for

fisheries in Lesotho. Each also included a practical demonstration of fish sampling and

analysis of the catch, with the data being included in the stock assessments. The Workshops

also included a report from the communities on their plans for managing the fishery and these

were incorporated into Fisheries Management Plans which were discussed at length and

adopted after incorporating amendments and corrections.

The final stock assessment obtained some data on the growth of carp, bass and sunfish but the

data were insufficient to allow for accurate estimates of potential yield. This issue was

considered in relation to predicted yields from some reservoirs in the Eastern Cape and Free

State provinces of South Africa where conditions are likely to be the most similar to those in

Lesotho.

The project concluded with a Validation Workshop at which the main results were presented

to government officials and representatives of the local communities. These included:

1. The establishment of management systems for each of the reservoirs setting out the

structure of management bodies and allocating responsibility for actions;

2. Training members of the communities in data collection;

3. Fishery management plans for each reservoir;




4. A monitoring system for collecting fisheries data; and

5. Guidelines for data collection and community management.

This assignment has laid the foundation for community based management of these three

reservoirs in Lesotho but a sustained effort will be needed to ensure that it succeeds in

accomplishing the objectives of sustainable management. This will involve close liaison

between the Fisheries Section (within the Animal Production Division; Department of

Livestock Services; Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security) and the communities. It is

therefore recommended that:

1. The fisheries legislation should be strengthened. The Fisheries Ordinance in Lesotho was

promulgated in 1951 and is now outdated and it should be revised to include provisions for

community-based management of fisheries in dams and reservoirs. This is necessary to

ensure that communities “own” the fish if they are to manage their own resources

successfully.

2. The Fisheries Section should be provided with the resources to assist communities and

develop community-based management. Their main role will be monitoring, liaison and

guidance, and the carrying out of stock assessment surveys. In order to carry out the last

function, in particular, they need to be supplied with appropriate equipment to replace the

old material that is all they have at present. This would include a small boat and trailer to

replace the very old one presently in use (its trailer is beyond repair) and new fishing nets.

3. The potential environmental problems of the Maqalika and Sebaboleng dams should be

addressed. The dumping of waste, whether litter or organic matter such as sewage, should

be investigated and brought under control. The failure to control pollution could lead to

future problems for the fisheries and possibly for urban water supply.




1. BACKGROUND

1.1. Introduction

Lesotho is a land-locked and mountainous country completely surrounded by the Republic of

South Africa. It has an area of 30,355km2 and the country is divided into four agro-ecological

regions: the lowlands, the foothills, the mountains and Senqu (Orange) River valley. Its

economy is based on diamonds exported all over the world, water sold to South Africa,

manufacturing, agriculture, and livestock. Almost 50% of the population earns some income

through crop cultivation or animal husbandry, with over half the country's income coming

from the agricultural sector. The contribution of fisheries to the national GDP is small but

growing through the development of trout farming on the two large reservoirs (Katse and

Mohale) constructed as part of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

Lesotho’s water resources are in the form of rivers and there are three main sub-systems in the

country: Senqu (Orange), Makhaleng and Mohokare (Caledon) with a total length estimated at

2,160 km, draining an area of about 31,000 km2 hectares with a total runoff of 4.4 km

3 per

annum. There are, however, a number of medium-sized reservoirs and many small ones

constructed mainly to control soil erosion and to supply water to humans and livestock.

Capture fisheries are very small and mostly carried out on a subsistence basis although the

increased demand from Chinese residents has opened up new markets for fish, if on a limited

scale. Sport fishing for rainbow trout and yellowfish takes place in mountain streams,

attracting tourists from the Republic of South Africa and the total annual catch from this

fishery is estimated to be around 45 t per annum. The Government of Lesotho started public

sector fish farming through some donor-funded projects and encourages private sector

investments. These have mainly been made in relation to the trout industry. The diversity of

fish in Lesotho is very limited, consisting only of 17 species. The indigenous species with

potential for developing capture fisheries are: yellowfish species, mudfish, mud mullet and

sharp tooth catfish. Exotic species of fish have been introduced with the main objective of

increasing productivity in fish farming. Species introduced to boost up capture fisheries are:

rainbow trout, brown trout, common carp, largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish.

The Fisheries Section within the Animal Production Division of the Department of Livestock

Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, is responsible for fisheries development,

both capture fisheries and aquaculture, throughout Lesotho, although some aspects are

controlled by the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority which controls the two largest

reservoirs in the country. The Government of Lesotho, assisted by FAO, has recently

developed a Strategic Framework for the Lesotho Fisheries Sector. Support was requested

from FAO to develop the National Aquaculture and Capture Fisheries Strategic Framework.

In southern Africa the term “dam” generally means the body of water itself and not just the structure

that impounds the water. Local people would therefore refer to “Sebaboleng dam” rather than

“Sebaboleng reservoir” (the term “reservoir” is generally used for a smaller structure, such as stock

watering tanks). This usage has been followed in this report.




The Strategic Framework recognises the importance of increasing fisheries productivity in the

country’s smaller reservoirs and the need for local communities to be able to manage these

resources.

At present, fisheries in Lesotho are generally unmanaged because the Fisheries Section lacks

resources and the limited importance of fish in the local economy. The collection of fisheries

data is weak and there is no accurate record of fish production while a lack of data prevents

the management of fisheries resources. The involvement and empowerment of local

communities by setting up co-management mechanisms is seen as the key to overcoming

these problems. The local communities do not, however, have the necessary knowledge and

capacity to monitor and manage their fisheries and the Government of Lesotho sought

assistance from the ACP Fish II Programme in developing the capacity of local communities.

The need to support the programme was identified as a priority following consultation with

the Fisheries Administration designated Focal Point. It was confirmed and endorsed by the

Fisheries Administration at the ACP Fish II Programme Workshop for Presentation and

Discussion of the Action Plan for Southern Africa (Maputo, 31 August – 1 September 2010)

and at the ACP Fish II Programme Monitoring Workshop for Southern Africa (Maputo, 15-16

March 2011). The assumption is that the beneficiary state and stakeholders are well aware of

the intervention and prepared to allocate official hours to its implementation.

This project aims to increase the availability of reliable data on stock fish stocks and fisheries

production in selected reservoirs, and to strengthen local capacity to monitor and manage the

fisheries in a sustainable manner. It therefore supported the start-up of a fish stock

monitoring programme for the sustainable management of fisheries by piloting community-

based activities in three reservoirs in the lowlands of Lesotho: Likhetlane dam in Leribe

District and Maqalika and Sebaboleng dams in Maseru District. It focussed on the building

the capacity of local communities to utilise fisheries in a sustainable manner. Implementation

of the project included a stock assessment programme design (including the baseline stock

assessment) and the training of staff from the Fisheries Section in those matters. This was

followed by the training of the communities in stock monitoring and co-management and the

follow up of project monitoring.

1.2. Description of the selected reservoirs

The dams selected for this project were the Likhetlane dam in the Leribe District and the two

in Maseru, the Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams.

1.2.1. Likhetlane dam

This dam is located at 28°58’S: 27°57’E about 90 km to the northwest of Maseru, close to the

town of Maputsoe in the Leribe District, at an altitude of 1627 m (Source: Google Earth). It

has an area of 10 ha and is located in a predominantly agricultural area with local villages

being located below the dam (Figure 1). The dam was constructed as a soil conservation

measure and is used only for stock watering and some domestic supplies.




Figure 1. Likhetlane Dam (a) satellite view from Google Earth, (b) during a fish survey.

No fish surveys have been carried out in this dam but it is known to have been stocked with

carp and yellowfish. The only fishing is carried out by local people using hook-and-line

although it appears that some netting was carried out by “the Chinese” until they were made

to leave.

1.2.2. Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams

These dams are located between 29°18-19’S: 27°30’E at altitudes of 1516 m (Sebaboleng)

and 1503 m (Maqalika) and lie within the urban complex of Maseru (Figure 2). Sebaboleng




has an area of 10 ha and has a relatively stable water level while Maqalika extends over 16 ha

but has a fluctuaring water level since it is used to supply water to the city.

Figure 2. The Maqalika (upper) and Sebabolong (lower) dams surrounded by urban

development in Maseru (from Google Earth).

Fisheries surveys were carried out in 1990-93 (Tilquin & Lechela 1994) as part of the FAO

Aquaculture for Local Communities (ALCOM) programme and found that the dominant

species were common carp (Cyprinus carpio), catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and moggel

(Labeo umbratus). Extensive fishing occurs on both lakes but the numbers of fishermen and

their catches are presently unknown, although it is known that there are some full-time

fishermen who depend on fish for their livelihoods. Some of them use nets, which is strictly

illegal in terms of a proclamation issued in 1951 but not revised since.

Being located in an urban area these dams experience problems that are absent from

Likhetlane. Access to the dams will be more difficult to control since they are open to anyone

living in the city. There may also be a potential problem with water quality since both dams

are affected by litter and may be vulnerable to pollution. According to local people, tanker

trucks sometimes dump sewage into the dams, while there is a risk that effluents might be

discharged from industrial enterprises around the dams (Figure 3). The Maseru City Council




should make some effort to clean up the system and prevent the unauthorised discharge of

sewage and other effluents, especially because Maqalika dam is part of the city’s water

supply.

Figure 3. Top left: White-throated Swallows

roosting on a bank in the exposed bed of

Maqalika dam; note the litter.

Top right: a creek in Sebaboleng covered with

duckweed (Lemna spp.) which frequently

indicates organic enrichment; note the litter.

Left: dead fish near the creek in Sebaboleng.

All were carp and no catfish were killed,

which indicates deoxygenation of the water

(catfish are air-breathers and can survive in

water with little oxygen) probably as a result

of organic matter, such as sewage, being

discharged into the water.

The differences between Likhetlane dam and these two urban dams will mean that

management of the latter is likely to much more complex and demanding. It will probably

require a much greater degree of coordination and encouragement from the Fisheries Section

and the communities involved will have to deal with agencies such as the Maseru City

Council, Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture, and so on.




2. APPROACH TO THE ASSIGNMENT

2.1. Inception Phase

During the inception phase a Technical Team, consisting of the two scientific officers in the

Fisheries Section, Animal Production Division, Department of Livestock Services (Ms S

Mofolo and Ms N Morokole) was established. A work plan was developed and the Consultant

gathered together the available information on previous work done in Lesotho and other

scientific documents. Site visits were made to the pilot reservoirs and meetings were held with

leaders of the local communities.

The planning for the Training of Trainers Workshop was also carried out during this period.

The participants were selected by the Technical Team, in consultation with local leaders, and

it was agreed that the workshop would consist of 12 people altogether; they included the

Consultant, the two members of the Technical Team, two Animal Production Officers (one

from Leribe and one from Maseru), and seven Chief’s Representatives (two from Likhetlane

and five from Maqalika/Sebaboleng communities).

An Inception Report was submitted at the end of this period.

2.2. Implementation Phase 1

This phase began with the Training of Trainers Workshop at which the Consultant made a

presentation that covered questions such as:

What is stock assessment?

How do we estimate fish abundance when we cannot see them? Sampling methods in

stock assessment.

What data do we need to collect and how can it be collected and analysed?

What do we mean by fisheries management and how can a community carry it out?

How does a community organise and benefit from management?

These concepts were discussed at a relatively simple level appropriate to the educational level

of most of the participants (Chief’s Representatives) although discussions with the Fisheries

Section staff were at a higher level and they were given copies of some appropriate and more

detailed literature.

This was followed by the Consultant and Technical Team visiting the Likhetlane dam in

Leribe and the Maqalika and Sebaboleng dams to carry out test fishing, and to meet with

fishing community members to discuss potential community-based fisheries management. It

was hoped that this would form the basis for a stock assessment. The outcomes of this Phase

included training the Technical Team members in resource monitoring and fisheries

management, and developing a community-based monitoring and management approach. The

baseline stock assessment was not achieved, owing to problems such as the removal of nets

from Likhetlane dam (see Annex G).




2.3. Implementation Phase 2

Once the methodology for a community-based monitoring programme had been developed,

two Community Workshops were held to train community representatives in their community

areas. Although verbal presentations were made by the Consultant and members of the

Technical Team, the trainees were actively involved in all discussions. At all times they were

encouraged to express their opinions and to remember that whatever came out of the

workshop would have to be based on their views rather than those of the Consultant or the

Technical Team. This was essential for the communities to take ownership of their own

management plans.

Fisheries Management Plans were an important output from these workshops because these

set out the management system for each dam based on what the communities felt they were

capable of and what they could achieve. These management plans included a system for

collecting data and passing it back to the Fisheries Section for analysis. The guidelines for

community-based management were prepared after the workshops.

These workshops also included a practical demonstration of fish sampling and data processing

in each dam, so that community members could see what was involved. The outcome of this

contributed to the baseline stock assessment.

This phase ended with a Validation Workshop held in Maseru. This included a short

presentation from the Consultant, followed by presentations from community representatives

in which they outlined their plans, how they intended to implement them, and how they hoped

to benefit from community management.

This consultancy was carried out with the support of the Lesotho Government, through the

Fisheries Section who liaised with community leaders and arranged invitations to the various

workshops. Logistical support was provided during the first phase by Mr Simon Phafane of

PMTC Lesotho, who arranged for a vehicle so that the Consultant and Technical Team could

travel to the dams and carry out other activities in Maseru. During the second phase, the

activities were supported by Ms Motselisi Ramakoae, representing Harewelle International,

who organised the two community workshops and the final validation workshop, which

included booking venues, arranging travel when needed, and other activities.

3. COMMENTS ON TERMS OF REFERENCE

The Terms of Reference are given in Annex A. The purposes of this assignment were (1) to

increase the availability of reliable data on stock status in the selected reservoirs, and (2) to

build the capacity of communities living around these reservoirs to monitor and manage the

fisheries in a sustainable manner. As part of this assignment the Consultant is expected to (1)

conduct a baseline stock assessment in the selected reservoirs, (2) devise and implement a

community based fish stock monitoring programme and (3) prepare guidelines for training the

communities in fish stock monitoring and co-management aspects. There are two concerns

that need to be mentioned here:




Some comment is needed on the expectation that the Consultant will conduct a ‘baseline stock

assessment’ which is a rather misleading concept that may have raised expectations that

cannot be fulfilled. Since fish are invisible they cannot be counted in the same way that

livestock, such as cattle or sheep, can be counted. With livestock, it is relatively easy to

determine the numbers, sex and age, and growth rate of the animals, as well as the numbers of

births and deaths. As a result the production and expected yield can be predicted with a high

degree of accuracy.

These parameters are equally important for fish but they are much more difficult to determine

as they cannot be obtained directly. It should also be noted that most fish sampling methods

tend to be destructive and result in the death of the fish. Moreover, intensive sampling in

small water bodies can significantly reduce the population of fish in them, which limits the

data that can be collected. Consequently, stock assessment is a continuous process that uses

data such as changes in catch per unit effort, mean length of fish, size of first maturity, and so

on, to assess the state of the stock. The surveys that will be carried out during this

consultancy will begin this process and introduce the scientific staff of the Fisheries Section,

and community members, to the need to collect data continuously, in order to determine the

state of the stock. These initial surveys will not be a ‘baseline stock assessment’ and will not

be able to predict the potential productivity of the water bodies; this will only come after a

lengthy period of data collection.

The Consultant was expected achieve the following results as part of this assignment:

(i) A baseline stock assessment is conducted in the selected reservoirs;

(ii) A community based fish stock monitoring programme is devised and implemented;

(iii) Guidelines for training the communities in fish stock monitoring and co-management

aspects are prepared.

The Terms of Reference specified that results (1) and (ii) should be completed in phase 1. The

baseline stock assessment was attempted, but the results were inadequate and more data were

collected during the community training workshops. Result (ii) was annexed to the Interim

Report. The Consultant was later informed that result (iii) should also have been done by the

end of Phase 1 according to the Technical Proposal submitted by Harewelle International. The

error is regretted.

4. ORGANISATION AND METHODOLOGY

4.1. Delivery of Terms of Reference The activities that were carried out in order to produce the outputs required by the Terms of

Reference are summarised in Table 1.




Table 1. Summary of activities required by the Terms of Reference and a comment on their

execution.

Terms of reference How delivered through the assignment

1 Briefing by the ACP Fish II Programme

and Fisheries Section, Department of

Livestock Services

This was carried out at the headquarters of the

Fisheries Section in the first week of the

project, and again in the third week after the

arrival of the ACP Fish II Programme regional

project manager.

2 Establishment of Technical Team This team consisted of the two staff members

of the Fisheries Section, and was established at

the beginning of the project

3 Collect all relevant scientific documents An effort was made to locate relevant

documents held at the Fisheries Section, and

by searching the internet and scientific

literature.

4 Develop a work plan for the project A work plan for Phase 1 was developed at the

beginning of the project (see Inception Report)

and the work plan for Phase 2 was developed

at the end of Phase 1 (see Interim Report).

5 Training of Trainers Workshop This workshop (12 participants, including the

Consultant) was held in Maseru from 31

October to 2 November 2012.

6 Stock assessment This was carried out from in Phase 1 from 5-9

November 2012 and again in Phase 2 as part of

the Training Workshops in Phase 2 on 7-8

February 2013 (Likhetlane dam) and 13-15

February 2013 (Sebaboleng and Maqalika

dams).

7 Devise monitoring programme This was carried out during Phase 1 and

guidelines for monitoring were produced (see

Annex L).

8 Community Training Workshops These were carried out in Phase 2. The

workshop for Likhetlane dam was held from 4-

8 February 2013 and attended by 28 people (25

from community; 3 from technical team). The

workshop for Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams

was held from 11-15 November and attended

by 34 people (31 from communities; 3 from

technical team ).

9 Final Validation Workshop The final validation workshop was held in

Maseru on 19 February and attended by 59

people, including community representatives

and government officials.




4.2. Conduct and details of the assignment including visibility activities

4.2.1. Inception phase

The inception phase (Week 1; 22-27 October 2012) began with the arrival of the Consultant

and meetings with officials of the Department of Livestock Services (listed in Annex B). The

Technical Team was established; it consisted of the staff of the Fisheries Section, namely the

Head of the section (Ms S Mofolo) and a scientific officer (Ms N Morokole) who will be

primarily responsible for this programme in future.

The Technical Team and the Consultant met with community leaders (chiefs and councillors)

in the Maseru area who will be responsible for the Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams. After that

they travelled to Leribe district to meet district officials (from the Department of Livestock

Services) in Leribe and community leaders at Likhetlane dam. That was followed by a further

meeting with district officials in Maseru.

The team then developed a work plan, as follows:

Inception phase:

Week 1 (22-27 October). Arrival of Consultant, introduction to key staff; inception

meeting and development of work plan; meeting with community leaders and site visits;

collection of relevant information and data and preparation of Inception Report (see Annex

C).

Phase 1:

Weeks 2 (29 October-3 November): development of training course and workshop

materials; Training of Trainers Workshop.

Week 3 (5 -10 November): field surveys in the three reservoirs; training local communities

in data collection.

Week 4 (12-16 November): analysis and interpretation of data; planning for Phase 2;

debriefing, preparation of Interim Report (see Annex D), and departure of Consultant.

The Consultant also began a search for and examination of relevant documents, both at the

Fisheries Section and on the internet (these are listed in Annex E).

4.2.2. Phase 1

The main emphasis during the first phase of this consultancy was a training workshop to

introduce the staff of the Fisheries Section and 10 other participants (district officials and

community representatives) to the basic concepts of stock assessment and the kinds of data

that are used in it. The Consultant gave a presentation on these aspects (see Annex P). At the

same time, the workshop discussed how the data can be obtained and what the role of local

communities should be and how they can contribute to this activity. The problems of control,

i.e. ownership of the resource, was also addressed because this issue, if unresolved, will make

it very difficult to collect data and then manage the fishery. This was carried out during week

2 (29 October-3 November) when a three-day Training of Trainers Workshop was held at

Lancer’s Inn, Maseru (see Annex F).




The second major activity was to make a stock assessment in the three dams and this was

carried out in week 3 (5-10 November). This activity experienced a number of difficulties and

the results were less than had been hoped for, owing to problems with nets being removed

(Likhetlane), nets being damaged and a change in the weather affecting the catch (see Annex

G).

In the final week (12-16 November) the consultant was occupied in analysing the results

obtained up to that time and preparing an Interim Report. The team also prepared a work plan

for Phase 2 which was to begin in late January 2013.

4.2.3. Phase 2 The Phase 2 work plan was as follows:

Week 1 (28 January-2 February 2013): Arrival of Consultant, briefing, and preparation of

material for community workshops.

Week 2 (4-9 February): Community Training Workshop, Likhetlane village and training

survey in Likhetlane dam.

Week 3 (11-16 February): Community Training Workshop, Maseru, and training survey in

Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams.

Week 4 (18-23 February): preparation for validation workshop, Validation Workshop,

debriefing and beginning of Final Technical Report, departure of Consultant.

The main emphasis during this phase was the two community training workshops. The first

was held in the New Jerusalem Apostolic Church in Zion, Likhetlane village in week 2 and

was attended by 25 community representatives, including chiefs, councillors and fishermen

(see Annex E). Issues discussed included the concepts of community management, the

importance of monitoring and the legal framework for fisheries management in Lesotho. The

workshop concluded with the development and adoption of a Fisheries Management Plan for

Likhetlane dam (see Annex H), to be managed by the Community Development Association.

The second workshop was held at the Lakeside Hotel, Maseru, in week 3 and was attended by

31 representatives from the five communities around the Sebaboleng and Maqalika dams. As

before, issues discussed included the concepts of community management, the importance of

monitoring and the legal framework for fisheries management in Lesotho. After lengthy

discussion a Fisheries Management Plan was drawn up and adopted (see Annex J). It was

agreed that both dams would be managed as one unit and a management system was drawn

up, with a large committee representing all stakeholders being responsible for their

management. Day-to-day running of the system would be carried out by a sub-committee

appointed by this committee.

It was possible during both workshops to carry out some sampling in the dams, giving the

participants an opportunity to learn about fish sampling and data collection. This also made it

possible to collect more data that could be used in the stock assessments (see Annex G).




The final activity of Phase 2 was the Validation Workshop, held at the Lesotho Sun Hotel,

Maseru, on 19 February, and attended by 59 people (of whom 41 were community

representatives, 18 were government officials and 5 from the Technical Team and

Consultants: see Annex F). These included representatives of the Department of Livestock

Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the communities. Regrettably, no

senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security were able to attend the

workshop, despite having been invited, because almost everyone at the ministry was involved

with efforts to control a major outbreak of Army Worm, a serious pest of grain crops, which

was affecting most parts of the country at the time. The Consultant gave a presentation on the

main outcomes of the project (see Annex N) and local community representatives presented

their activities and proposals.

4.2.4. Visibility

Visibility was ensured by giving pens, brochures and posters to participants at the Training of

Trainers Workshop, and by distributing posters and brochures to the communities during the

Community Workshops. A large banner was prepared for the final Validation Workshop

while the ACP Fish II Programme Regional Project Manager brought other material to that

workshop. Owing to some confusion, and the fact that newspapers in Maseru are only

published on three days a week, a press release was not issued. However, the press were

notified of the Validation Workshop but it appears that no reporters attended, partly because

of the Army Worm outbreak, which occupied the attention of the press.

Visibility was further ensured by the erection of three signboards at each of the three dams;

Likhetlane, Maqalika and Sebaboleng. These measure 1.5m x 1m and are printed on vinyl

with a steel frame set in concrete. The aim of the signboards is to promote awareness on good

fisheries resources management practices as a follow up to the training delivered by ACP Fish

II and to draw attention to the contribution of the ACP Fish II Progamme and the European

Union.

4.2.5. General remarks

The assignment was carried out according to the work plans outlined in the Inception and

Interim Reports. Some problems arose in relation to transport and equipment but these were

solved by hiring a vehicle and a trailer for transporting the boat. Fishing gear was a problem

in Phase 1 (see Interim Report) but was improved during Phase 2 when gear was borrowed

from the Lesotho Highland Development Authority.

The workshops proceeded as planned although it should be noted that proceedings did not

always begin on time, especially at Likhetlane. This is because rural people have many other

demands on their time (especially at this time of the year in an agricultural area) and many of

them had to walk some distance to reach the workshop venue. It is to their credit that most

were able to attend every day and to participate in the activities.




5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. Conclusions

The main objectives of this project were achieved in that the Training of Trainers Workshop

and the Community Workshops gave instruction to a considerable number of people in the

communities around the dams. Fish surveys were carried out and these were used to instruct

local people on data collection and the data that were obtained gave some preliminary data on

the state of the fisheries.

Fisheries Management Plans were drawn up for both Likhetlane and the two Maseru dams

and these have laid the foundation for community management. It now remains for the

communities to take up the challenge and begin the active management of their resources.

This will not be easy, especially in the two Maseru dams (Maqalika and Sebaboleng) and it is

strongly recommended that the Fisheries Section stays in close contact with the communities

to provide encouragement and assistance when needed. It should be noted that all the

discussion on these plans was in Sotho so the Consultant had to rely on the Technical Team

for translation. Ms Nthabiseng Morokole summarised the discussions and she and the

Consultant together drew up the management plans, based on what was discussed. These were

translated into Sotho and then reviewed by the participants who discussed them again,

suggested amendments, and ultimately approved them.

The 38-person committee proposed for Sebaboleng/Maqalika dams seems to be cumbersome

and it would be easy to doubt its effectiveness. This came about, however, after a lengthy and

occasionally rather heated discussion and was, in the end, a decision reached by the

community representatives. They had to deal with the fact these two dams have a variety of

problems since there are five communities involved, with a wide variety of stakeholders,

including both full-time and part-time fishermen. In contrast Likhetlane is managed by only

one community and there are no full-time fishermen. The day-to-day management of the

fishery will, however, be delegated to a sub-committee and this would hopefully be more

effective. It was made it clear during the discussions that these management plans were only a

first step and could be revised in due course to make them more effective. The

Maqalika/Sebaboleng communities may find that the 38-member committee is too unwieldy

and will have to make changes in future.

There is a general overlap between the guidelines and the management plans. The guidelines

are a general guide that outlines basic principles, and have been kept relatively simple because

these are small fisheries that will be managed by community volunteers. The same applies to

the management plans, which specifically set out who should do what, what should be done,

and how it should be done. Although the management plans have a similar basic format, they

will be specific for each locality or community, and therefore will vary from one place to

another.

The legal framework, identifying the responsibilities of the fisheries administration and the

communities, the mechanisms for cooperation, and the management measures that can be




undertaken remains unclear. There is nothing in the current Fisheries legislation, dating from

1951, that deals with any of these aspects and there is a clear need for a new legislative

system (this is apparently being planned). There may be some local government legislation

that might be applicable to some aspects, and there may also be unwritten forms of customary

law that governs the power of chiefs, village leaders, and so on.

Activities that rely on voluntary cooperation and agreement by consensus can be difficult to

fit into a rigid timetable. Nonetheless, a possible time-line for major activities is suggested

below:

1. Preliminary discussions. Once a community considers setting up a fisheries management

programme, it will be necessary begin a process of consultation within the community to

garner support, and with the Fisheries Section for advice. It is not possible to say how

long this might take because each community will differ but once the consultation is

complete it will be necessary to develop a Fisheries Management Plan.

2. Fisheries Management Plan. This should be developed at a meeting attended by

community and stakeholder representatives, with the Fisheries Section in attendance for

guidance. This meeting would also elect a Management Committee (and sub-committees

if needed) that would be responsible for implementing the management plan.

3. There would be an Annual General Meeting every 12 months after the management plan

has been adopted. The Management Committee would report back to the community at

this meeting, reporting on progress and achievements during the previous year. The

community would also elect (or re-elect) members of the Management Committee at this

meeting. Proposed changes to the management plans would be submitted to the

community for ratification at this meeting.

4. The Management Committee should meet formally every three months after the

management plan has been adopted. At this meeting they would consider all aspects of

management and deal with any problems that might occur.

5. The monitoring programme is seen as a continuous activity with data being collected

from every fisherman, in accordance with the system set out in the management plan.

6. An annual fishery survey would be undertaken by the Fisheries Section, assisted by

members of the community. The timing of these surveys will vary but they should be

carried out in summer, generally between about November and March.

The Fisheries Section has a vital role to play in the development of these community

management systems and they need the resources to be able to do this effectively. They can

probably make regular contact with the communities, especially in Maseru, as this requires

little in the way of resources (except perhaps for travel to Likhetlane). Of more concern is the

fact that the Fisheries Management Plans call for annual fish surveys which will be difficult

for the Fisheries Section to implement owing to a lack of resources. Their boat is usable but in

poor condition and either needs to be repaired or replaced, while its trailer is probably beyond

repair. While we were able to transport it on a hired trailer this was not ideal since carrying a

boat on an ordinary trailer always causes some damage, especially on the rough roads that had

to be taken to reach suitable launching sites. In addition to that, their fishing gear is in very

poor condition, being very old and now severely damaged.




There was some discussion between the Technical Team, the Consultant and the ACP II Fish

Programme Regional Project Manager on the need to budget for this new equipment and

fishing gear. It was agreed that such a budget should be prepared but this would take time as

sources of supply would have to be located in Lesotho or more probably in South Africa and

quotations obtained.

In conclusion, this project has laid the foundation for community management of the fisheries

in these three dams and it is up to the communities themselves to implement the management

plans. Although the Fisheries Section and other bodies are available for consultation, advice

and assistance, it is now the communities’ responsibility to begin this programme. In the end,

it depends on the voluntary, and long-term, involvement of community members and it is

hoped that the results will encourage them to continue their efforts until the programme

assumes a life of its own and becomes part of the everyday life of the community.

5.2. Recommendations

1. Fisheries legislation. The legal control of fisheries in Lesotho is embodied in an Ordinance

promulgated in 1951. This now outdated and is to be revised. It should include provisions

for community-based management of fisheries in dams and reservoirs. This is because wild

fish stocks are usually regarded as a common-property resource, owned by no one, and

some form of ownership is needed to give communities the power to manage their own

resources and avoid conflict with outsiders.

2. Fisheries Section. The Fisheries Section within the Animal Production Division of the

Department of Livestock Services will play an important role in ensuring the success of

these community management programmes. This will involve three main activities:

(a) Monitoring. The Fisheries Section will need to monitor the progress of these

management units and frequent visits, at least until the communities have their

management systems running properly, are essential. This monitoring should include

regular community meetings, especially in the early stages, and staff of the Fisheries

Section would be expected to attend these meetings. It is strongly recommended that

the Fisheries Section is given an adequate budget so that they can carry out these

duties.

(b) Liaison and guidance. The Fisheries Section will also have to act as a liaison between

the communities and various local and central government agencies and give

guidance, where necessary to the communities so that conflicts or questions can be

dealt with. It would also be valuable if the Fisheries staff could update themselves on

developments in community-based management elsewhere, much of which is

available on the internet. It was a matter of concern to note that the Fisheries Section

does not have internet access in their offices, which creates difficulties because so

much information is now obtained electronically rather than through printed material.

The internet is no longer an expensive luxury but is an indispensable working tool and

it is strongly recommended that the Fisheries Section is provided with an adequate

internet system.




(c) Fishery surveys. Ideally, the Fisheries Section should carry out an annual survey in

each dam but they can only do this if they have adequate resources. It is strongly

recommended that the Fisheries Section should be provided with: (i) a small boat with

a small outboard motor (5-8 hp would be sufficient) and (ii) a suitable fleet of multi-

mesh gillnets. This should include both top and bottom-set nets and at least five of

each would be needed (three in use and two spare). The Fisheries Section should

obtain quotations and prepare a budget for this, and then seek funding whether from

the Ministry of Finance through the normal budget process or from a donor.

A preliminary budget for this has been prepared (see Annex M) and it should be

possible to obtain suitable equipment for no more than USD10,000.

3. Environmental issues. There is some concern about possible environmental problems in the

Maqalika and Sebaboleng dams. The communities, assisted by the Fisheries Section,

should open discussions with the Maseru City Council and appropriate Ministries, with a

view to improving the situation in the two dams. While water quality is probably not yet a

serious issue, there are signs of trouble, such as the fish kills in Sebaboleng, and it is better

that these problems are addressed sooner rather than later.

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