AFC#3 AntiPoaching | african-fisherman

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Anti-Poaching

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Mohomed Ali with his 11.18lb bass, caught at Darwendale on a Zoom frog in the late afternoon.

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Any good conservationist will tell you that to protect any species, one must first look to the environment and habitat. Protecting these base elements in the delicate chain of nature, will provide optimum conditions under which all diversity will thrive. Invariably, trying to manage one particular species or group within the chain, will lead to a collapse of them - and usually other species present in the system. Aquiculture is no different.

Included in this article is a video produced by the Osprey Filming Company which demonstrates both the importance of proper African management for African scenarios and the significance of Flora and Fauna having a value to those local communities living within wilderness areas. While its focus is elephant - not fishing, we would all be better informed on conservation issues if we took the time to understand the dynamics of real conservation and ensuring resident communities benefit from resources they intrinsically are called upon to protect (and tolerate). Let’s take the revenue away from the poachers and middlemen, and give it back to the communities and protectors.

Thankfully though, in the last couple of years, there has once again been a significant shift to eliminate fish (and animal) poaching on our major waters - most notably Lake Kariba. While the focus has been on stopping the indiscriminate netting of rivers - which by their nature are prime spawning grounds for many lake species - there has been a knock-on effect as human presence and disturbance in these sensitive areas has declined, and by stopping the nets, general abuse to the environment has been reduced too. Wildlife too is returning as the poachers decline with reports of leopard sightings in places like the Sanyati Gorge being an exciting indicator.

While there has been various lodge and/or private initiatives ongoing along Kariba to curb poaching - Bumi Hills, Gache Gache Lodge, KAWFT (to name a few), it was the almost military approach of a newly formed MAPP whose intensive and aggressive no-nonsense attitude brought about significant results in a very short time.

The Matusadona Anti Poaching Project (MAPP) was formed in 2013 shortly after Changa Safari Camp opened on the shores of Lake Kariba within the Matusadona National Park. MAPP operates under an official Memorandum of Understanding between The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), Changa Safari Camp, Spurwing Island Resort, and The Tashinga Trust Initiative. Formed initially to tackle the fish poaching in and around Sanyati West on the lake, and the Sanyati Gorge, their sphere of operations now also includes land based operations protecting rhino, elephant and other species threatened along the shore. The Tashinga Trust Initiative (TTI) were the first to come to MAPP’s aid and facilitated the donation of a Pelican boat and motor and more recently a Land Cruiser which is used for the deployment of field personal.

If readers have contributions or suggestions, contact THE MAPP TRUST on: matusadonaantipoachingproject@gmail.com and visit their Facebook page which documents their activities, or BHAPU at conservation@bumihills.com or phone Catherine on +2637782040586 of Facebook them. Gache Gache Lodge’s anti poaching unit - WEPU (Wildlife Environment Protection Unit) is a partnership with the community fishermen in the area in association with National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and also have a very informative Facebook page, or mail them at info@chapungusafaris.co.zw to get involved. The Kariba Animal Welfare Trust - KAWFT - operate in and around Kariba itself, keeping the area free of snares, treating wounded and snared animals and supplementary feeding wildlife who call Antelope Island home - a paradise which almost turns to desert in the dry season. For any donations, help offer, more info, or information on injured animals please contact below KAWFT at email kawf2011@gmail.com. Phone numbers Nick Grant (+263-772) 607 214 - HARARE, Debbie Ottman Land Home (+263-61) 2342 Work 2764 Cell (+263-773) 996 487- KARIBA, Sonya Mc Master Land Home (+263-61) 2488 Cell +263-772) 874 352 – KARIBA. Or visit their Facebook page.

Meanwhile, supported by MAPP, The National Parks and Wildlife Management Authorities’ tally in their area of interest since March of 2013 includes 98km of nets recovered, 149 boats impounded or destroyed, 251 illegal fisherman apprehended - the bulk of them fined (first time offenders warned and their nets and boats confiscated). Included in this number are 61 Zambians, 35 of whom have been imprisoned for terms of 8 to 12 months. Four months of land based operations have achieved significant results too including the arrests and convictions of a number of ivory poachers and teams, and recovery of illegal firearms and ivory. MAPP have also worked hard at sensitizing the local communities to poaching and the detrimental effect it will have for all in the long term.

“The Elephant and the Pauper - The Ivory Debacle” illustrates the importance of sustainable utilization and its front-line role in protecting Africa’s wildlife. Remove wildlife’s value to those who need to protect it, and YOU empower poachers and terrorism as demonstrated above.

After chasing down and apprehending one of the poachers, our team destroyed their camp, and brought both poacher and equipment back to Bumi, where he was identified as being a kingpin of the Zambian operation.”

Catherine’s descriptions are real and these scenarios play out daily along the lake. We as sport fishermen seldom think about the daily grind and battle, or indeed the danger. We do however benefit from the battles they rage in a war they believe they can win. As time passes, the confiscation and destruction of the poachers’ boats and equipment is having an affect. Poacher operations are no longer easily sustainable or safe.

Catherine recalls some of their success through 2014. “It’s not all doom and gloom however – we have had some successes recently, arresting five Zambian poachers, five kilometers of twin net and two banana boats – one with a suspiciously new motor on the back. These operations were mounted off the back of information received from local sources – our first success was on Partridge Island, where, after hours sculling about the adjacent islands, our team flushed out poachers from Zambia, who had a well organised camp, complete with drying and smoking racks and over 40kg of fresh fish, of all sizes and types.

Comprised of game scouts, the unit has cleared over 5000 snares and over 30 000 metres of illegal gill netting. With poachers becoming more daring and developing new methods of catching their quarry the need has arisen to expand and develop BHAPU

“The story of the battle against poachers raping our waters is a serious, non-fiction one.” Says Catherine. “Here at Bumi our anti poaching unit - BHAPU – headed by our Conservation Manager and staffed by four committed, hard working scouts, constantly patrol our land for snares, and our waters for netting and illegal fishing. It is tempting to pity these poachers – but they are not just ‘trying to feed their families’ – they are running businesses, netting huge quantities of fish regardless of size, type, or breeding status with lengthy, indestructible nylon nets. These nets are a death sentence not only for the fish, but for birds and animals that drink or live along the lake shores – becoming entwined in elephant’s trucks, bird’s beaks and feet, and twisted around antelope’s slender legs.”

Catherine Norton of the Bumi Hills Anti-Poaching Unit (BHAPU), describes the scene these men face daily. “A black painted boat slips silently across the lake, full moon glinting on the wake. A light flickers briefly on the darkly looming island. The men in the boat, hands tight on their weapons, peer intently into the gloom. Suddenly! A shout, a shot rings out, a boat speeds away from the shore…

“Sounds like the beginning of a boys adventure story, doesn’t it? It’s not – its real, it’s scary and it might be happening as you are reading this article.”

Founded in July 2009, BHAPU works tirelessly to prevent all forms of poaching against flora and fauna found in the Bumi Hills Wildlife area and beyond.

As one can imagine, this size operation is costly, and ongoing, long term funding is essential if the full benefit of their operations are to be realised. To that end, MAPP run several high value raffles and other functions aimed at supporting their operations.

Given the value both fish, and animal poaching can generate, this type of work is dangerous as the criminals often fight back. With logistical support provide by MAPP, the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority have taken an unprecedented approach to operations, and those on the ground should be commended for the job they do.

MAPP also enjoys the full support of The Zambezi Society (ZAMSOC), an old name in the Matusadona National Park. In April, with funds raised by Chisipite Junior School, The Balmain Trust, and other sources, the ZAMSOC purchased a good condition second hand Land Cruiser (pictured here) and has deployed it within the Park on loan to MAPP to assist with on the ground anti poaching activities. Meanwhile, Society personnel, working with MAPP and the Parks Authority in the field, have deployed a number of camera traps at strategic points around the Park in order to capture evidence of wildlife and human movement. ZAMSOC recently reported “The Zambezi Society considers poaching of fish and wildlife resources to be a MAJOR challenge in the Matusadona National Park, and we will continue to channel all possible support to the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority in addressing it. We are also collaborating with the Matusadona Anti Poaching Project and The Tashinga Initiative to streamline the input of scarce resources towards this protection.

MAPP is funded privately with the support from Parks, the Police, Border Control, the Judiciary and CID, and as such have been able to deal with transgressors of the law efficiently and effectively. Today, it is one of the most active, and well equipped of its kind on the lake, and vigorous fund raising and ongoing private funding has seen a sharp decline in poaching operations - many of which were originating from across the lake in Zambia. Certainly, their lake based operations have yielded significant results, and for the first time in over a decade, the Sanyati Gorge is free from poacher’s camps and operations. But the fight continues. Co-owner of Changa Safari Camp and director of MAPP, Kevin Higgins says “We have and continue to achieve our objective which is to provide the authorities with the capacity and logistical support that they need to achieve results, and of course those of you who have given to the cause one way or another are equally deserving of praise.”

During 2014, MAPP received a significant boost in the form of two 18 foot Pelican boats to work alongside their existing TTI donated 22’ Pelican. The boats are equipped with 60hp Mercury outboards motors, Lowrance depth sounders ( kindly donated by Lowrance South Africa), GPS tracking systems (kindly donated by Car-Trac) and ship to shore radios.. “We have 100+ kilometers of shoreline to patrol and these boats give us the ability to deploy reaction groups swiftly and effectively when necessary. The Pelican boats manufactured by Fibrecraft in Bulawayo really are an ideal craft for this exercise offering stability, weight carrying capacity and safety when operating on the lake under trying and often dangerous conditions.” said Kevin. The boats are branded with the names and logos of those who have contributed to the cause.

Scientists agree that protecting the habitat which supports spawning fish is the quickest way to boost fish numbers, and safeguard any fishery for the future - be it sport fishing, commercial operations, or subsistence fishermen. Illegal netters place nets across major rivers - bank to bank where narrow enough - during the main spawning months, killing virtually everything migrating up these rivers. Dr. Deacon, an ichthyologist explains “In order to sustain any population of fish, at least half of that population must breed at least once.” Because tigerfish, among a host of others, spawn far up rivers, it is possible to catch all the fish running up these rivers using nets strung across the entire river. One could imagine that more than 50% of any local population will indeed be wiped out and never get to breed. Neil estimates that just the Gache Gache river alone, if properly protected, has the potential to re-stock much of the Gache basin and surrounding areas. The Sanyati river has long been known for its once significant tiger fishing, and this spawning resource added to the Gache Gache and the Ume River further west, has the potential to re-stock and sustain the fishery resource of the entire Eastern basin! It makes sense then, that the more spawning fish there are, the more fish there will be, resulting in less pressure on the overall resource.

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