Inland fisheries, especially those in flood pulse systems,
are key livelihood resources for riparian communities.
Therefore, management of these is fundamental for
ensuring that the resources are utilized sustainably for
future generations. GIS applications are a novel approach
for floodplain fisheries management, especially in the
Okavango Delta. This approach facilitates the modelling of
spatially varying relationships between fishery and related
environmental factors. Spatial analysis of fisheries data
allows for identification of locations of concern that might
require immediate management intervention.
Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) was used to
further elucidate some of the patterns in fish productivity
across the Delta as a function of environmental variability.
Results revealed spatial variability in fish relative biomass
where panhandle habitats were less productive than lower
delta areas.