Project Detail

Fish Biodiversity Status and Physico-Chemical Parameters of River Little Scarcies Strait

In Sierra Leone, the study of physico-chemical parameters in relation to freshwater fishes have not been frequently or even conducted on quite a number of the country?s major river bodies. Over the years, scientific research on various riverine and their communities has been very limited or dearth in terms of fish species biodiversity. Another rationale for undertaking this research emerged from the unfurnished scientific data on how many species of fish are inhabiting river Little Scarcies and data deficiency on its profile. There are records on fishing and it related activities going on in this proposed study area but existing livelihood activities which are factors in combination with climate change impacts that influence physico-chemical parameters of the water body are not supported scientifically for better understanding. Hence, to provide timely management and conservation of fish biodiversity, this study is relevant to triage the physico-chemical parameters, distribution pattern, and identify species and diversity that will be most impacted by climate change and those that will be resilient.

In order to achieve the study goal the followings objectives, are to be worked upon as stated below:
1. Take inventory of fish species composition and assess their biodiversity status in the water body.
2. Examine the physico-chemical or water quality parameters of the study environment
3. Determine length-weight frequency of selected fish species for economic and conservation purposes.
4. Assess factors of ecosystem dynamics and conditions expected to greatly affect the distribution pattern.
5. Setting up a data base for fish species abundance in the River Little Scarcies

Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Planning Green Futures Non Governmental Organization

Country:

Sierra Leone

Area Of Work:

Chemicals

Operational Phase:

OP7 - Y1 (Jul 20-Jun 21)

Grant Amount:

US$ 20,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 10,000.00

Project Number:

SLE/SGP/OP7/Y1/CORE/CH/17/12/2020/6

Start Date:

1/2021

End Date:

12/2021

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Notable Community Participation

Been that the community people better understand their areas than the field staff, provision will be made for local field assistants/guides. For every community visited, locals will be contacted and briefed about the goal and objectives of the project and asked for their assistance in the effort of the registry process by providing local guides. These guides will help field staff by taking them around to key riverine areas/community within Little Scarcies community that know fish species distribution either by experience or them been fisher folks that have once done fishing and it related activity. They will also be part of the setting of traps and net monitoring effort since they are indigenes. They will also be encouraged to provide information relevant to species of greater concern they know of, for identification.

Gender Focus

In order to ensure gender mainstreaming, the research will involve women in both the training, field exercises and data analysis. In the filed it is not clear how locals will look at it but field officers will be encouraged to suggest the inclusion of women into the local guide positions, though most women are particularly scared of sitting in boats for fishing purposes or sometimes fear for traditional believe that it a bad-luck if they would experience their menstrual during the process of collecting data, and women will be encouraged to take part in collecting data on the water bodies. Women will be involved in collecting fish and other aquatic resources using their local nets (Bembay) and traps because women are the predominant group of involved in fishing in most rural communities.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

Indigenes and home base fisher folks usually have wealth of knowledge about their immediate surroundings that could be of importance to scientific researches or surveys; it is therefore eminent that PGF-NNGO will tap into that knowledge and make the best use of them and also improve upon them through the provision of refined and structured ones for better understanding of the scientific knowledge. Field staff will be encouraged to always listen to what locals have got to say before sharing their ideas and information about a particular water body, fish species and the socio-economic/livelihood activities they know about. This firsthand information or data sharing process will raise the awareness and or assure locals of their local knowledge about their water bodies and species richness.

Policy Impact

Local by laws will be developed and adopted

Capacity - Building Component

PGF-NNGO does not need any capacity training for their scientists; however, there is need to train some local field staff on the use of survey tools and data collection. Given that the road leading to some communities along the river could be a rough terrain with many potholes which makes it very difficult for low vehicles to easily ply the route; PGF-NNGO have decided not to deploy low vehicles but high Toyota vehicles. Currently our Organization does not have a research speed boat, and therefore has to use the services of a boat owner to cruise the Little Scarcies riverine strait during the research

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Result of the research will include a list supported photos of freshwater fish species recorded around and within Little Scarcies riverine. For whatever lessons learned from the field, staff will be encouraged to include such ideas, stories and experiences for inclusion into the final report. These will be compiled and copied on a CD and made available in our (PGF-NNGO) resource center, research and library Unit of MFMR and copies sent to the University and College Libraries in the country and make available to every interested persons/stakeholders

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

The local language will be used to deliver trainings to encourage the full participation of indigenous people

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

The plan for the involvement of locals is that for every riverine area to be covered; few community members and fishermen will be hired per day for the length of the time the team will be spending in the area. The composition of the local members will be 70:30 should the females agree to take part. The hired fees will serve as a DSA for the locals and it is believed that the said sum will help feed the participant households for those days.

+ View more

Indicators

Livehood

Number of individuals (gender diaggregated) who have benefited* from SGP project 140

Biophysical

Number of innovations or new technologies developed / applied 3

Back to search results

Countries

Regions

Project Snapshot

SGP Country office contact

Address