April 6, 2016
At dawn, we checked our nets. They were set at the edge of the channel at the opening of a lagoon near Xakanaxa camp.
From a research perspective, our catch was a sorry sight. With 60 meters of net, left overnight, we caught a whopping 12 fish. Mostly African catfish and silver catfish. Not a single tilapia. Obviously we had set nets in the wrong habitat. The water was perhaps too deep, the vegetation too dense, the crocs too numerous.
We collected muscle and liver samples for heavy metal analysis and considered our options.
I should note that fishing in Moremi is illegal because the park is protected. We have several permits from the park and the Ministry of the Environment that give us permission to fish this protected habitat for research purposes. We had to produce our permits and explanations on several occasions when wildlife officers and safari operators saw our nets.
With the lagoon not yielding tilapia, we decided to try the flood plains. One of the safari operators kindly guided us through the maze of waterways to the shallow edge of the vast and beautiful flood plain.
We deployed the nets, crossed our fingers, and went back to camp for a bite to eat.
After three hours, we checked the nets again. This time, where fish should have been – there was a big hole. I guess it’s good that we caught fish, but not especially helpful if they are in a crocodile belly.
With that happy thought, we left remaining intact nets in place and returned home empty handed. Fishing a new place is always a challenge. Our time is limited on this trip and we must find fish tomorrow to make the trip count. We’ll know at dawn if the flood plain was a good choice.
