Long Term Time-Series Data on Fish Monitoring by Okavango Research Institute, Botswana

Ineelo Mosie; Kaelo Makati

doi:10.15468/4vvwzc

Long Term Time-Series Data on Fish Monitoring by Okavango Research Institute, Botswana

Citation

Mosie I, Makati K (2020). Long Term Time-Series Data on Fish Monitoring by Okavango Research Institute, Botswana. Version 1.3. Okavango Research Institute. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/4vvwzc accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-12.

Description

Fish Monitoring Dataset from the Okavango Delta, collected by Okavango Research Institute. Data Licenses as per ORI and JRS Biodiversity data standards aggreement.

Purpose

The Monitoring Unit collects, captures, processes, analyses and disseminates information on critical environmental parameters of the Okavango Delta and its upstream Basin. This role is designed to allow the development of evidence-based management decisions for the Delta as a Ramsar and World Heritage Site, and for the Okavango Basin as a shared resource.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

The long term fish monitoring covers the lower parts of the Panhandle in the Okavango Delta regions of Boro river at Xaxaba, extending to Chanoga in the Boteti river and Lake Ngami in the Xudum/Kunyere river system. The Monitoring Unit collects, captures, processes, analyses and disseminates information on critical environmental parameters of the Okavango Delta and its upstream Basin. This role is designed to allow the development of evidence-based management decisions for the Delta as a Ramsar and World Heritage Site, and for the Okavango Basin as a shared resource. The Okavango Delta supports the most extensive permanent wetland in southern Africa.

Sampling

Multi-panel, multi-mesh multifilament experimental nets were used. This standardised experimental fishing technique has been used extensively in Africa. The N nets have 9 different panels with mesh of 22, 28, 35, 45, 58, 73, 93, 118, and 150mm stretched mesh., each 10m long, with different mesh size when stretched. The mesh sizes in these nets are increased geometrically with the underlying assumption that they are non-selective over a wide range of the different size classes present in the fish population. This “non-selective” feature is important for the assumption that the sample is representative of the population. The construction of the experimental fishing net validates the assumption that most fish in the population wii have an equal probability to be sampled.

Quality Control

Data from the different meshes were pooled later for analysis. After removal from the nets, individual fish specimens were identified to species level, weighed, sexed, measured to the nearest millimetre from the tip of snout to the caudal fin for all the fish caught by species and maturity stage (i.e. immature, mature, and spawning) were also recorded. The fish were often very tangled and so got partially damaged when removed and some fish had been partially eaten by birds, otters or other fish species while stuck in the net, however, most were easily handled and measured, in total length, and identified according to Skelton Book of "A Complete Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Southern Africa."

Method steps

The nets were set for approximately 12 hours overnight and removed the following morning, to account for diurnal variations in fish movements. When the allocated setting time lapsed, the nets were removed from the water and placed in separate containers with maximum care taken to ensure that the catch from different mesh sizes did not mix.

Additional info

Mosepele, K., 2017. Small-scale fisheries (SSF) management in floodplain systems; the case of the Okavango Delta: What needs to be managed? How should it be managed? Pages 165- 194. In Magole, L and Delaney, A (Eds.). Partnerships and power games: Natural Resources Governance and Management in the Okavango Delta. LIT VERLAG GmbH & Co. KGWien, Zurich. [Book Chapter] (ISBN 978-3-643-90685-4)|| Mosepele, K., 2016. Dynamics of the seasonal floodplain fishery of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, pages 1 – 13. In Mmopelwa, G (Editor). “Water Resource Management; Science and technology innovation for sustainable development.” (Acta Press: Canada) DOI: 10.2316/P.2016.836-024 (ISBN: 978-0-88986-984-4)|| Mosepele, K, Murray-Hudson, M, Mosie, I and Sethebe, K, 2013. Lagoons’ Fish Communities in Flood-Pulsed Floodplains: Heterogeneity in a Highly Dynamic System? The Case of the Okavango Delta. In Mwinyihija, M (Editor) “Lagoons: Habitat and Species, Human Impacts and Ecological Effects”. (Nova Science Publishers: USA) pp. 149 - 174 [Book Chapter] (ISBN: 978-1-62808-096-4)|| Mosepele, K., Kolding, J and Bokhutlo, T., 2017. Fish community dynamics in an inland floodplain system of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecohyd.2017.01.005 Mosepele, K., Makati, K., Mosie, I., Murray-Hudson, M., xxxx. Fish biodiversity dynamics in a shallow tropical lake; The case of Lake Ngami (NOVA).|| Mosepele, K., Makati, K., Mosie, I and Murray-Hudson, M.,xxx Fish stock assessment of a shallow tropical sump lake; Lake Ngami, Botswana (NOVA)|| Makati, K., Mosie, I., Mosepele, K and Murray-Hudson, M., 2015. Environmental variability and fish species assemblages in the Okavango Delta. Poster presentation at the Botswana Symposium on Wetlands and Wildlife (17 – 19 March, 2015) held in Maun, Botswana.|| Makati, K., Makati, A., Mosepele, K., Dhliwayo, M., Mfundisi, K and Mosie, I., 2016. Using GIS in floodplain fisheries management: The case of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, pages 47 - 55. In Mmopelwa, G (Editor). “Water Resource Management; Science and technology innovation for sustainable development.” (Acta Press: Canada) DOI: 10.2316/P.2016.836-033 (ISBN: 978-0-88986-984-4)||

Taxonomic Coverages

The resource covers fresh water fish of southern Africa, with restriction to Okavango Delta and its seasonal flood plains. A number of taxa are covered, including families such as Momyridae, Barbus spp, Saluroidei, Cyprinidae among others most specimen were identified to species level.

Fresh water fish

Geographic Coverages

Bibliographic Citations

Paul Skelton, (2001). A Complete Guide to the Freshwater of Southern Africa. - ISBN 1-86872-643-6
Mosepele, K., 2017. Small-scale fisheries (SSF) management in floodplain systems; the case of the Okavango Delta: What needs to be managed? How should it be managed? Pages 165- 194. In Magole, L and Delaney, A (Eds.). Partnerships and power games: Natural Resources Governance and Management in the Okavango Delta. LIT VERLAG GmbH & Co. KGWien, Zurich. [Book Chapter] (ISBN 978-3-643-90685-4) - ISBN 978-3-643-90685-4
Mosepele, K., 2016. Dynamics of the seasonal floodplain fishery of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, pages 1 – 13. In Mmopelwa, G (Editor). “Water Resource Management; Science and technology innovation for sustainable development.” (Acta Press: Canada) DOI: 10.2316/P.2016.836-024 (ISBN: 978-0-88986-984-4) - ISBN: 978-0-88986-984-4
Mosepele, K., Kolding, J and Bokhutlo, T., 2017. Fish community dynamics in an inland floodplain system of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecohyd.2017.01.005 - DOI: 10.1016/j.ecohyd.2017.01.005
Makati, K., Makati, A., Mosepele, K., Dhliwayo, M., Mfundisi, K and Mosie, I., 2016. Using GIS in floodplain fisheries management: The case of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, pages 47 - 55. In Mmopelwa, G (Editor). “Water Resource Management; Science and technology innovation for sustainable development.” (Acta Press: Canada) DOI: 10.2316/P.2016.836-033 (ISBN: 978-0-88986-984-4) - DOI: 10.2316/P.2016.836-033

Contacts

Ineelo Mosie
originator
position: Senior Technician-Monitoring Unit
Okavango Research Institute (ORI)
Old Shorobe Rd, Sexaxa
Maun
00000
NW
BW
Telephone: 2676861833
email: imosie@ub.ac.bw
homepage: http://www.ori.ub.bw

Kaelo Makati
originator
position: Senior Technician- Monitoring Unit
Okavango Research Institute (ORI)
Old Shorobe Rd, Sexaxa
Maun
00000
NW
BW
Telephone: 2676861833
email: makatik@ub.ac.bw
homepage: http://www.ori.ub.bw

Kaelo Makati
metadata author
position: Senior Technician Environmental Monitoring Unit
Okavango Research Institute (ORI)
Old Shorobe Rd, Sexaxa
Maun
00000
NW
BW
Telephone: 2676861833
email: makatik@ub.ac.bw
homepage: http://www.ori.ub.bw

Mike Murray-Hudson
administrative point of contact
position: Coordinator- Monitoring Unit
Okavango Research Institute (ORI)
Old Shorobe Rd, Sexaxa
Maun
00000
NW
BW
Telephone: 2676861833
email: mmurray-hudson@ub.ac.bw
homepage: http://www.ori.ub.bw
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6873-0913

Kaelo Makati
administrative point of contact
position: Senior Technician Environmental Monitoring Unit
Okavango Research Institute (ORI)
Old Shorobe Rd, Sexaxa
Maun
00000
NW
BW
Telephone: 2676861833
email: makatik@ub.ac.bw
homepage: http://www.ori.ub.bw

Ineelo Mosie
administrative point of contact
position: Senior Technician-Monitoring Unit
Okavango Research Institute
Old Shorobe Road, Sexaxa
Maun
NW
BW
Telephone: +267 6861833
email: imosie@ub.ac.bw
homepage: http://www.ori.ub.bw

Ketlhatlogile Mosepele
administrative point of contact
position: Associate Professor (Fisheries Biologist)
Okavango Research Institute
Old Shorobe Road, Sexaxa
Maun
NW
BW
Telephone: +267 6861833
email: kmosepele@ub.ac.bw