The Valuation of Riparian Fisheries in Southern and Eastern Africa

Abstract

"This paper was commissioned by the WorldFish Center as part of a global survey. It reviews the published and gray literature concerning economic valuations of river fisheries in eastern and southern Africa, extracting the best available information on their direct economic values and on the impacts of changes in water management on this value. It then assesses the methods used and makes recommendations regarding approaches to be used in future. The review concentrates on rivers with their associated floodplains and major deltas. The values and issues associated with estuaries and lakes are not considered.

"Riparian fisheries in eastern and southern Africa tend to be small-scale, labor intensive, artisanal fisheries. They have received relatively little attention because they have limited commercial value compared to marine and lacustrine fisheries. However, they make an important contribution to subsistence income. Because they are highly seasonal, they tend to form part of a risk-spreading strategy, as one of several activities that households engage in. Fishing can provide a fallback source of food and income in years when local rainfall events lead to crop failure."