COUNTRY FILES (contd.)

SIERRA LEONE

1. GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE (Welcomme, 1979)

The surface area of Sierra Leone is 71 620 km². Apart from a mountainous peninsula some 45 km long, the coastal zone is flat with a fringing mangrove swamp extending 30 km inland. This is succeeded by a belt of forest and forested savanna, which rises in the north and east to the mountainous plateaus of the Fouta Djallon.

The climate is generally hot and humid throughout the year; the rains are concentrated into a single rainy season extending from May to October. Sierra Leone is mainly an agricultural and forestry country but also has considerable mineral resources.

2. HYDROGRAPHY (See Fig. 2, Tables 2 and 3)

2.1 Lakes

There is one small lake in the country (Sonfon).

2.2 Rivers, Floodplains and Swamps

Sierra Leone is well supplied with small rivers which drain the northern highlands and discharge into the Atlantic. Principal among these are the Sewa River (340 km approx.), Jong River (230 km), Little Scarcies River (260 km), Rokel River (260 km) and Moa River (190 km). The rivers are all rocky and torrential in their upper courses but open into wide estuaries which penetrate far inland and are bordered by mangrove swamps (over 10 000 km² in area) and floodplains.

2.3 Reservoirs

There are no major reservoirs in the country. There are small dams at Musaja, Sefadu, Jaiama, Loma Valley and Regent (on the Congo River).

2.4 Coastal Lagoons

The lower courses of the rivers are deeply invaded by saline waters, as are the extensive marshes surrounding the Little Scarcies and Sewa Rivers. There are two large lagoons: Mabegi and Mape, and many smaller lagoons.

2.5 Aquaculture

Vincke (1989, pers.comm.) gives the following data for aquaculture ponds in Sierra Leone for 1985:

Breeding centres: 1 (surface area: 0.6 ha)
Family-type ponds: 219 (surface area: 8 ha)

3. FISHERY PRODUCTION/POTENTIAL

3.1 Fish production and per caput supply

Table 1. FISH PRODUCTION AND PER CAPUT SUPPLY - Sierra Leone, 1970–1987

¹ Source: FAO
² Source: FAO Fisheries Department FISHDAB
³ included in “Inland capture” if not specified.
⁴ - = data not available.
⁵ Vincke, 1989, pers.comm.
⁶ From 1980 to 1983, marine exports were as follows: 1980: 440 t; 1981: 850 t; 1982: 940 t; 1983: 900 t.

3.2 Inland catch range and potential yield

No detailed information available for Lake Sonfon; Rivers Grande Scarcies, Jong, Moa, Petite Scarcies, Rokel and Sewa; Lagoons Baimba, Kamason, Kenema, Kwako, Mabegi, Mape, Masatoi, Papei and Tibi.

Fig. 1. MAP OF SIERRA LEONE

Numbers refer to Table 2

Fig. 2. DRAINAGE AND MAJOR RIVER BASINS OF SIERRA LEONE
(PEMSU, 1983)

Table 2. LENGTH AND BASIN AREA OF PRINCIPAL RIVERS
(in BALARIN, 1984C)

References: ^a PEMSU (1983);
^b Welcomme (1979)

Table 3. AREA OF THE PRINCIPAL NATURAL LAKES AND LAGOONS
(in Balarin, 1984c)

* (BW)=Brackishwater
(F)=Freshwater
References: ^a PEMSU (1983);
^b Welcomme (1979)

4. STATE OF THE FISHERY

4.1 Yield

Statistics of the inland catch are difficult to come by in view of the diffuse nature of the industry. Welcomme (1979) in a compilation of available data concluded that, as the then performance was unknown, accurate estimates were not possible. Yields of up to 6 000 t/yr were considered the possible potential. Up to 1978, the fishery was estimated at a low 1 000–2 500 t. Since then a 6- to 7-fold increase has occurred, and 16 500 t/yr are recorded. This is a substantial catch for which no further data are available.

Table 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAIN FISHERIES
(in Balarin, 1984c)

References:
^a FAO (1980)
^b Welcomme (1979)
^c Table 2
^d Table 3
^e Kamara (1982)
^f MDEP (1982)
^g Brainerd (1980)
(E)=estimate

The majority of the catch is taken from rivers and lakes, particularly those in the south. Canoes are used employing set nets, drift nets, hooks and line, and fish traps. An artisanal fishery therefore exists, but little information is available.

Aquaculture production in Sierra Leone from 1982 through 1987, is given by Vincke (1989, pers.comm.) as follows:

4.2 Factors influencing yield

Insufficient information.

4.3 Future development possibilities

(adapted from Balarin, 1984c, and Welcomme, 1979)

As the present performance of the fishery is virtually unknown, it is not possible to forecast future trends.

Assistance to the inland fishery is now forming part of a number of integrated rural agriculture development projects and is often combined with aquaculture.

Aquaculture has only recently been introduced to Sierra Leone and has made slow but favourable progress. Prospects are good for further development. Water resources are abundant and, if even 10% of existing rice paddies were used, over 8 000 t/yr fish production could be possible. The socio-economic and infrastructural conditions limit intensive large-scale developments, but small-scale projects are favoured. Climatic conditions are ideal, with perhaps a need for caution due to possible cold conditions in the North, creating a loss in production for not more than one to two months. There is, however, an urgent need to train further extension agents. Aspects of pond nutrition also need attention.

5. KEY BIBLIOGRAPHY

Balarin, 1984c

6. WATER BODIES DIRECTORY

LAKE SONFON

GRANDE SCARCIES/KOLENTE RIVER
(International water)

JONG RIVER

MOA RIVER
(International water)

PETITE SCARCIES/KABA RIVER
(International water)

ROKEL RIVER

SEWA RIVER

BAIMBA LAGOON

KAMASON LAGOON

KENEMA LAGOON

KWAKO LAGOON

MABEGI LAGOON

MAPE LAGOON

MASATOI LAGOON

PAPEI LAGOON

TIBI LAGOON

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Balarin, 1984c
Brainerd, 1980
FAO, 1980
Kamara, 1982
MDEP, 1982
PEMSU, 1983
UNDP, 1975
Welcomme, 1979

TOGO

1. GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE (Welcomme, 1979)

Togo (surface area of 54 390 km²) consists essentially of two savanna plains separated by a chain of hills extending from the Atakora Massif in the northeast to the Ghana border in the southwest. The southern plain is cut by a system of coastal lagoons; the northern is traversed by the Oti River.

In the south the climate is tropical, with temperature ranging between 22° and 32°C. Humidity is relatively low for the West African coast and rainfall is moderate, being confined to two short season: one from March to June; the other in October. Rainfall declines as one proceeds northward and the north of the country is moderately dry. Although Togo has a rural population, there are extensive deposits of phosphate and limestone in the south which are mined.

2. HYDROGRAPHY (after Welcomme, 1979, and Balarin, 1984d)

2.1 Lakes

There are no natural freshwater lakes of any size in Togo.

2.2 Rivers, Floodplains and Swamps

There are three main river basins in Togo. In the north the Oti River flows diagonally across the country for about 100 km before turning southward for 110 km to form the frontier with Ghana. The Mono River flows southward for 360 km, although part of its lower course is in Benin. In the south, three small coastal rivers form a third small basin (see Fig. 1, Table 1). Total estimated length of rivers is 1 500 km (Aubray, 1977); surface area: 40–260 km² (Balarin, 1984d).

There are several extensive floodplains along the rivers Oti, Mono, Sio and Haho, seasonally flooded (see Fig. 2).

Togo Lagoon and Lome Lagoon (partially) are surrounded by seasonally flooded swamps.

2.3 Reservoirs

There are over 70 small reservoirs with a surface area of 150 ha (De Kimpe, 1982). A list of 50 of these is given in Table 2, and their locations are shown in Fig. 2.

The large Nangbeto hydroelectric dam project, planned on the Mono River, will create a reservoir with 1.7 km³ capacity.

2.4 Coastal Lagoons

There are a series of lagoons in Togo centered around Togo Lagoon and extending to join the sea via the Mono. A smaller water body, the Lomè Lagoon, is now isolated from the main system (see Fig. 3).

Numbers refer to Table 1

Fig. 1. MAIN RIVER BASINS AND RIVER FLOWS IN TOGO
(Gu-Konu & Laclavère, 1981)

Table 1. MAIN RIVERS AND CATCHMENT BASINS
(MPDIRA, 1980)

2.5 Aquaculture

From the 450–500 ponds existing in 1960, most were neglected or abandoned by 1963. Since then rehabilitation of the aquaculture ponds, including fish stocking of several reservoirs, has been conducted by several development projects. In 1976 Aubray (1977) reported a total area of 8.1 ha of ponds, with an estimated production of 5 t/yr. Balarin (1984), citing several authors, estimates the number of ponds to be 88–91, with a total surface area of 5.47–7.75 ha, some abandoned or drying up seasonally.

3. FISHERY PRODUCTION/POTENTIAL

3.1 Fish production and per caput supply

(See Table 3)

3.2 Inland catch range and potential yield

Table 2. LIST, DATA AND USE OF RESERVOIRS, TOGO
(in Balarin, 1984) (DGR, 1983)

¹ * = aquaculture; f = fishery; i = irrigation; p = hydroelectric; w = water reserve

Table 3. FISH PRODUCTION AND PER CAPUT SUPPLY - Togo, 1970–1987

¹ Source: FAO
² Source: FAO Fisheries Department FISHDAB
³ included in “Inland capture” if not specified.
⁴ - = data not available.
⁵ Aubray, 1977
⁶ Vincke, 1989, pers.comm.
⁷ From 1980 to 1983, marine exports were as follows: 1980: 16 t; 1981: 22 t; 1982: 39 t; 1983: 50 t.

4. STATE OF THE FISHERY (after Welcomme, 1979, and Balarin, 1984d)

4.1 Yield

Inland fisheries occur mostly in lagoons (mainly Togo Lagoon). FAO (1978b) and Aubray (1977) estimate the number of inland fishermen at 5 550–5 750, and the number of canoes at 2 000–2 400.

River (mainly Mono River) fisheries are usually done by Ghaneans, but the proportion of the catches that they export is not known. Also Haho floodplain is important for fisheries. Lack of reliable statistics and other information on the fishery makes an evaluation of its state difficult.

For the period 1971–1975, Welcomme's (1979) catch estimate was 3 000 t/yr, while FAO's statistics estimate for the period 1979–1987 is only about 700 t/yr (see Table 3).

Aquaculture production from 1976 to 1987, by species, is summarized as follows: (Sources: 1976: Aubray (1977); 1982–87: Vincke (1989, pers.comm.).

Fig. 2. LOCATION OF RESERVOIRS - TOGO
(Balarin, 1984)

4.2 Factors influencing yield

First of all it is necessary to ascertain the actual fisheries situation by means of precise statistics and a study of potential resources.

4.3 Future development possibilities

According to FAO (1978b) and Aubray (1977), the future prospects of fisheries in Togo are limited. Welcomme (1979) assumed that the inland waters of Togo are exploited at or near their minimum potential.

The potential annual yields estimates of 2 000–6 000 t (Aubray, 1977; Patasse, 1982) need to be confirmed by more precise studies.

There is a moderately active fish culture programme in the country, which may contribute to some increases in production. More intense utilization of the lagoons and reservoirs for extensive culture could also increase yield.

5. KEY BIBLIOGRAPHY

Balarin, 1984
Weigel, 1985 (Lagoons)

6. WATER BODIES DIRECTORY

MONO RIVER
(International water)

OTI/PENDJARI RIVER
(International water)

* Ca and SO₃ figures seem aberrently high and should be taken with care.

Fisheries data
No. of fishermen: 100 in 1984 (Togo)
Total annual catch: 450 t in 1976 (in Togo)

RESERVOIRS see also Table 2, Figure 2

ADJENGRE RESERVOIR

ANIE RESERVOIR

GAPO RESERVOIR

KOZAK RESERVOIR

KPIME RESERVOIR

NOTSE RESERVOIR

ANEHO LAGOON

LOME LAGOON

Fig. 3. TOGO'S LAGOON SYSTEM
(Weigel, 1985)

TOGO LAGOON

VOGAN (= BOKO) LAGOON

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aubray, 1977
Balarin, 1984d
Blanc & Daget, 1957
De Kimpe, 1982
DGR, 1983
FAO, 1978b
Gu-Konu & Laclavère, 1981
MPDIRA, 1980
Patasse, 1982
Sepia, 1983
Weigel, 1985
Welcomme, 1979