COUNTRY FILES

SIFRA BOOK 1

ANGOLA

1. GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE (Welcomme, 1979a)

Angola (with a surface area of 1 246 700 km²) is divided into

1. Angola proper, which lies south of the Zaire River (6° –17° S and 12° –23° E); and
2. Cabinda, a small enclave lying on the coast to the north of the Zaire River.

The major part of Angola is a central plateau, 1 000–1 600 m in altitude, rising in the west-central region to highlands of 2 000–2 500 m. There is a narrow coastal plain. The northern part of Angola is covered with rain forest; the south is savanna merging into semi-arid desert. Cabinda is low-lying, tropical and densely forested.

In general, the north of Angola is tropical in climate, whereas the south is semiarid. The climate is largely conditioned by the cold Benguela current and gives a temperate character to the coastal regions. There are two main seasons: a cold, dry season from May to October; and a warm, wet season from November to April. During the cold period temperatures can drop to freezing on the plateau. Angola is a predominantly agricultural country with some mining in the northeastern region.

2. HYDROGRAPHY (Welcomme, 1979a)

2.1 Lakes

There are no large lakes in Angola, but there are numerous smaller bodies of water associated with the floodplains of river systems in the south and east of the country.

2.2 Rivers, Floodplains and Swamps

The country is, on the whole, well watered by rivers draining the central highland plateau. Poll (1967) assigns the rivers to five main basins corresponding to zoogeographical regions. These are:

1. the Zaire River basin, where major tributaries include the Kasai and Kwango Rivers;
2. the Zambezi River basin with the headwaters of the Zambezi and its tributaries and Lungue and Cuando Rivers, with some 20 000 km² of inundatable floodplain.
3. the Okavango River basin, with the Cuito and Cubango Rivers;
4. the northern coastal rivers, chief of which is the Cuanza River; and
5. the Cunene River basin, including 15 000 km² of the Ovambo floodplain.

The major river channels total over 10 000 km in length, without counting small streams. Floodplains with numerous small lakes occur along the lower reaches of many of the rivers, discharging westward into the Atlantic Ocean.

2.3 Reservoirs

There are several impoundments; the largest are at Gove, on the Cunene, and Kiminha, on the Bengo. Several large reservoirs are projected for the future.

2.4 Coastal Lagoons

There are a few coastal lagoons; the largest are Buraco and Chissambe Lagoons.

3. FISHERY PRODUCTION/POTENTIAL

3.1 Aquaculture

Several fish-culture stations already exist in the highlands. However, this sector has experienced a number of difficulties and drawbacks in the past, due mainly to the high cost of investment and inadequate training of personnel (Giudicelli et al., 1987).

Vincke (1989, pers.comm.) estimates the aquaculture production as follows:

3.2 Fish Production and per caput supply

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

¹ Source: FAO
² Source: FAO Fisheries Dept., FISHDAB
Important note: Inland capture = excluding export. Marine capture = export statistics not available. It is therefore not possible to ascertain precisely what part of the marine capture is actually used for domestic consumption.
³ included in “Inland capture” if not specified
⁴ - = data not available
⁵ Vincke, 1989 (pers.comm.)
⁶ There are no official statistics for inland capture fisheries yield or aquaculture production, nor is it possible from other data sources to derive an accurate estimate of yield in any past year(s). The 8 000 t for 1979–1987 are rough estimates.

3.3 Inland catch range and potential yield

No detailed information available for:
Lakes Bezi-Bezi, Calundo, Cambala, Carumbo, Catete, Chibondo, Dilolo, Machive, Malanje, Muchova, Nuntechite, Uambafuca;
Rivers Bengo, Catumbela, Cuanza, Cubango, Cunene, Dande, Kasai, Longa, Zaire, Zambezi;
Floodplain Ovambo;
Reservoirs Cuando, Gove, Jamba, Kambumbe, Kiminha, Mabubas, Matala;
Lagoons Buraco, Carvalhao, Chissambe, Marembo.

Table 2. INLAND CATCH RANGE AND POTENTIAL YIELD

¹ Potential yield estimates after Matthes, 1982.

4. STATE OF THE FISHERY

4.1 Yield

The lack of figures and reported catches from Angola almost certainly presents a false picture of the importance of inland fish and fisheries. There are four major areas for inland fisheries.

1. Tributaries of the upper Zambezi River (Moxico Region). There are some 20 000 km² of floodplain with a potential yield of some 20 000 t/yr(*), as compared to an estimated current annual catch of 2 500–5 000 t.
2. Ovambo floodplain (of the Cunene River). 15 000 km² of this international water lie in Angola and have a potential yield of circa 5 000 t(*). No current information is available about existing fishery.
3. Floodplains of the coastal rivers (Dande, Bengo, Cuanga). The flood-plain lakes alone have a combined surface area of circa 500 km². Total potential yield may be in the order of 5 000–10 000 t/yr(*). The current catch is estimated at circa 5 000 t/yr.
4. Floodplain of the Cubango River (prior to discharge into the Okavango Swamp in Botswana). The potential yield is 5 000 t/yr(*). The current state of the fishery is unknown.

* (Note: All potential yield estimates after Matthes, 1982)

Fig. 1. WETLANDS OF ANGOLA
(Mepham, 1987)

As well as in these major areas, considerable potential for fisheries exists in the numerous other water bodies of Angola. An overall potential of 50–55 000 t/yr is calculated, with the present catch considerably less (possibly about 6–8 000 t/yr). Therefore there exists a great potential for increasing the catch.

4.2 Factors influencing yield

The continued unstable security situation, especially in the south, is probably the single greatest impediment to inland fisheries development. Inland fisheries also tend to be overshadowed by the highly productive marine fishery. Other factors cited as impairing development are lack of trained manpower, unavailability of fishing gear, and nearly total absence of adequate marketing, preservation and transport infrastructure. As most of the inland waters are rivers, the yield would be sensitive to any management works aimed at controlling flow (such as irrigation projects or dam constructions). Almost all major westward flowing rivers are now impounded near the upstream end of their coastal floodplains and this undoubtedly adversely affects floodplain yields to varying degrees. Furthermore, some of the rivers are in densely forested areas and are probably relatively unproductive.

4.3 Future development possibilities

The inland fishery sector is unimportant, relative to the extensive marine fishery, hence little attention has been paid to it. However, there is a large potential for development, particularly in the interior where marine fish rarely penetrate. Here, given the appropriate infrastructure and termination of security problems, there is likely to be rapid expansion of the sector.

5. KEY BIBLIOGRAPHY

Limnology, inland fisheries, ichtyology: Poll, 1967; Matthes, 1982; Gliwitz, 1986; Mepham, 1987c
Fish processing in Angola: Limpus, 1988

6. WATER BODIES DIRECTORY

LAKE BEZI-BEZI

LAKE CALUNDO (= CAMEIA)

LAKE CAMBALA

LAKE CARUMBO

LAKE CATETE

LAKE CHANDUMBA

CHAVUMA LAKES COMPLEX

LAKE CHIBOCO

LAKE CHIBONDO

LAKE CHICAPA

LAKE CHICAPA

LAKE CHIUOSO

LAKE CUANGO

LAKE DILOLO

EMBUNDO LAKES COMPLEX

LAKE MACANDA

LAKE MACHIVE

LAKE MAGIUAS

LAKE MALANJE

LAKE MANGUE

MANINGA LAKES COMPLEX

LAKE MUCHOVA

LAKE MUONGO

LAKE NANGAGE

LAKE NUNTECHITE

LAKE SAPUA

LAKE UAMBAFUCA

BENGO RIVER

CATUMBELA RIVER

CUANZA RIVER

CUNENE RIVER
(International water)

DANDE RIVER

KASAI/KWA RIVER
(International water)

LONGA RIVER

OKAVANGO/CUBANGO RIVER
(International water)

ZAIRE/CONGO RIVER
(International water)

Fisheries data
Potential annual yield: Lower Zaire Basin in Angola: 10 000 t (Matthes, 1982)

ZAMBEZI RIVER
(International water)

Physical and chemical data (Coche, 1968)

Fisheries data
No. of fish species: Upper Zambezi: 49 (Jubb, 1961)

OVAMBO FLOODPLAIN
(International water)

BIOPIO RESERVOIR

CAMBAMBE RESERVOIR

CARIANGO RESERVOIR

CHISSOLA RESERVOIR

CUANDO RESERVOIR

GOVE RESERVOIR

JAMBA RESERVOIR

KAMBUMBE RESERVOIR

KIMINHA RESERVOIR

KUANDO RESERVOIR

KUENE RESERVOIR

LAMAUN RESERVOIR

LUACHIMO RESERVOIR

MABUBAS RESERVOIR

MATALA RESERVOIR

MISSOMBO RESERVOIR

TCHAMUTETE RESERVOIR

YAMBA-IA-OMA RESERVOIR

BURACO LAGOON

CARVALHAO LAGOON

CHISSAMBE (= MASSABI) LAGOON

GANGA LAGOON

MABEMBO LAGOON

SACA LAGOON

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Coche, 1968
Giudicelli et al., 1987
Gliwitz, 1986
Jubb, 1961
Limpus, 1988
Matthes, 1982
Mepham, 1987c
Meybeck, 1978
Poll, 1967
SADCC, 1984
Welcomme, 1972; 1979a

BOTSWANA

1. GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE (Welcomme, 1979a)

Botswana (with a surface area of 585 370 km²) is a vast tableland of 1 000 m mean altitude, but in the north and northwest several depressions are associated with the drainage patterns of the main rivers. The country is generally arid savanna, grading into the Kalahari Desert to the west. The Okavango Depression in the northwest is somewhat better wooded and is generally more moist.

Most of the country is dry with hot summers and cold winters; in the desert regions winter temperatures (May-August) can fall below zero at night. Late summer (February-April) is the wettest time of the year, but there is much variability from year to year. Flooding of the Okavango depends greatly on the rainfall in the upper catchment in Angola which may be very different from that in Botswana. Most of the water in the Okavango Delta is lost by evaporation.

The Okavango Delta area is used for subsistence farming, either as dry agriculture or floodplain agriculture. Much of the basin is still occupied by wildlife as population densities are very low. At present there are no irrigation schemes, although some are being proposed.

2. HYDROGRAPHY

2.1 Lakes (after West, 1986)

The main natural lakes of importance are the Ngami, Xau and Liambezi. The Ngami and Xau Lakes form the terminal sumps of the Okavango Delta and are fed mainly by the Boteti River, while the Liambezi Lake is fed by the Chobe River. All three of these lakes used to be highly productive, supporting good fisheries, but in recent years, owing to continued drought, they have all dried up completely.

Until it dried up in 1982, Lake Ngami was a very productive lake which supported a rapidly developing fishery yielding over 200 t/yr. According to estimates, this lake has a potential of producing more than 3 000 tons of fish a year.

Lake Liambezi did not dry up completely until 1986. Before then, the lake used to support a sizeable fishery which was rapidly developing under a viable cooperative system. Yields as high as 1 000 t/yr have been obtained from this lake, most of which were exported. Available records show that up to 800 tons of fish per year (mainly iced) were marketed out of Lake Liambezi to Zimbabwe and Zambia in past years.

2.2 Rivers, Floodplains and Swamps (after Welcomme, 1979a)

The Okavango and its terminal swamps are the largest aquatic system in the country. The Okavango River enters Botswana from Angola after crossing the Caprivi strip, and almost immediately spreads out into fan-shaped delta swamp. The swamp is endorheic and only has outflow in exceptional years when part of the flow drains into the Zambezi system by way of the Selinda Spillway and the Linyati River, and into the Mababe Depression by way of the Khwai River. The Mababe Depression may also be flooded from the Zambezi River via the Savuti River. Some water also moves down the Boteti River toward the Makgadikgadi Depression, although this has not flooded in recent years. The Limpopo River forms part of the boundary with South Africa. Botswanian territory covers a minute part (4 km) of the Upper Zambezi River channel.

2.3 Reservoirs (after West, 1986)

Apart from the three natural lakes mentioned above, three dams have been constructed in Botswana. These are the Shashe Dam on the Shashe River, the Mopipi Dam on the Lower Boteti River and the Gaborone Dam on the Notswane River. These dams, which were constructed mainly for irrigation and cattle watering purposes, now support some fishing, being close to good marketing outlets at Francistown and Gaborone.

The potential yield from Shashe Dam is estimated at over 50 t/yr; that of Mopipi Dam at over 100 t/yr; and Gaborone Dam at 17 t/yr. However, there is very little fishing being carried out on these man-made water bodies at present.

2.4 Coastal Lagoons

None; Botswana is landlocked.

3. FISHERY PRODUCTION/POTENTIAL

3.1 Aquaculture

There is no aquaculture in Botswana (Vincke, 1989, pers.comm.)

3.2 Fish Production and per caput supply

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

¹ Source: FAO
² Source: FAO Fisheries Depart., FISHDAB

3.3 Inland catch range and potential yield

Table 2. INLAND CATCH RANGE AND POTENTIAL YIELD

¹ Sources: see text
² Catch and potential yield depend on drought situation

4. STATE OF THE FISHERY (after West, 1986)

4.1 Yield

Botswana has two large and important national waterways: the Okavango Delta and the Chobe River system. These, together with their associated rivers and lakes mentioned in Section 2, constitute the main fishing grounds and are said to have considerable fishery resources which could contribute much more to the country's food supply and general economic well-being than they do at present. According to recent estimates these waters have a potential to yield some 10–15 000 tons of fish annually. However, these resources are unevenly distributed and do not coincide with the densely populated areas of the country. In fact, the main water bodies mentioned above are concentrated in the northern sector of the country, which is relatively sparsely populated compared to the more densely populated eastern and southern areas.

4.2 Factors influencing yield

The high potential yield (10–15 000 t) can be depressed considerably by poor hydrological conditions.

The Okavango Delta is tsetse infested and has dense growths of vegetation which render the area unattractive to human habitation. It constitutes the bird sanctuary and game reserve. Compared to other African floodplains, the Okavango has low productivity.

Fig. 1. MAP OF BOTSWANA

Fig. 2. LAKES, SWAMPS AND RIVERS IN NORTHERN BOTSWANA
(NORAD, 1985)

4.3 Future development possibilities

Despite the high potential yield figure quoted above, the present production of 1 200–1 750 t/yr (annual average about 1 600 t) is small, thus leaving ample room for increasing both output and benefits from the resources.

Until fairly recently fishing was mainly at the subsistence level, by fishermen scattered in remote communities, mainly in the Okavango swamps and the Chobe districts, using rudimentary fishing gear and traditional wooden canoes called “Mokoros”. The fishery has, however, progressed appreciably in the past two decades. Commercial fishing is now developing, not only on the lakes, but also on the main rivers (Boteti and Boro) and even in the remote areas of the Okavango.

5. KEY BIBLIOGRAPHY

NORAD, 1985

6. WATER BODIES DIRECTORY

LAKE LIAMBERI/LINYANTI SWAMP
(International water)

LAKE NGAMI

LAKE XAU

LIMPOPO RIVER
(International water)

OKAVANGO/CUBANGO RIVER
(International water)

ZAMBEZI RIVER
(International water)

Physical and chemical data (Coche, 1968)

OKAVANGO SWAMP/DELTA

GABORONE RESERVOIR

MOPIPI RESERVOIR

SHASHE RESERVOIR

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Coche, 1968
Jubb, 1961
Mepham, 1987b
NORAD, 1985; 1987
Welcomme, 1972; 1979a
West, 1986