Okavango — Norwegian Prince Haakon, who also happens to be a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) goodwill ambassador, has urged Okavango Delta fishermen and tour operators to bury the hatchet and work together.

He said this in response to the words of Saoshiko Njwaki of the Fishermen's Association who told the prince during his recent visit to a Samochima fishery that the relationship between the fishermen and tour operators was strained.

"At some point there was bad blood between us and the tour operators and it looked like an all out war was imminent had Biokavango Project people not intervened," Njwaki told the prince.

The outspoken Njwaki, who is also a village elder, added that they as Samochima fishermen have done all in their power to conserve the environment, while on the other hand, their rivals were only interested in exploiting the delta for profit.

Njwaki further said that one of the measures taken as a way of conserving some fish species in the Okavango, was to discard the use of some fishing nets and that they are currently using only three of the five original traditional fishing nets.

Attacking the tour operators, he pointed out that they always ignore local guides and never use them in their ventures despite the fact that they know the delta better than everybody else.

In the past, local fishermen accused tour operators in the area of racist tendencies and trying to kick them off their land while on the other hand, the latter accused the former of depleting some fish species and disturbing their guests by fishing near their properties at night.

"It looks like we are alone in our battle because government is not doing enough to assist us in conserving the ecosystem of the delta," he said, adding that therefore they are faced with serious challenges.

For his part, Prince Haakon urged the fishermen and the tour operators to work hand in hand in bringing about the sustainability of the delta as any disputes could seriously upset the balance.

He said that the parties involved should "strike a balance and that members of the society can work out their differences using democratic means".

Prince Haakon, who was visiting the Biokavango Project, which is supported by both the UNDP and the Botswana government, in his capacity as UNDP goodwill ambassador, was in the village to observe fishing practices in the Okavango and the challenges of balancing economics and ecology of fisheries in the delta.