Maloti Minnow Policy and Action Plan                                <<..back

Policy Statement

The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, as the implementing agent of the LHWP, will make such reasonable interventions as are necessary to conserve the relict population of the Maloti Minnow (Pseudobarbus quathlambae) in the Mohale catchment and other sanctuaries.

Policy Objectives

The overall objective is to conserve a viable in situ population of the Maloti Minnow in the Mohale catchment, coupled with the establishment of several ex situ populations as an additional safeguard for the survival of the species.

The objectives shall include:

• Establishment of sanctuaries in the project areas that shall be protected from invasive fish species, and gazetted as “protected natural environments” (Lesotho Environment Act 2001, section 73(1)), including:

  • Establishment of an ex situ sanctuary in the Jordane river above the Pampiri waterfall.

  • Establishment of ex situ populations in the Makhaleng, Quthing and Maletsunyane rivers.

• Monitoring of in situ and ex situ populations.

• Captive breading and translocation if this is found to be feasible.

• Building local capacity for long-term conservation of the species.

Definitions

Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

Habitat means the place or type of site where an organism or population naturally occurs.

In situ conservation means the conservation of ecosystems and natural habits and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings where they have developed their distinctive properties.

Ex situ conservation means the conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats.