Browsing: Lake Victoria

overfishing in Lake Victoria

Tackling overfishing: Why EAC needs unified regulations to safeguard fisheries

Countries
  • Lake Victoria biodiversity is been destroyed by overfishing
  • Researchers advice set up of common regulations among EAC states
  • Due to overfishing, stock of commonest fish is falling drastically

Overfishing is depleting fish in Lake Victoria with all three countries—Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania—that surround the massive fresh water body reporting a steady decline in output. On the Ugandan side, it is reported that fisheries that mushroomed around the lake region are shutting down at an alarming rate.

“More than ten factories around the lake have closed and the remaining 25 are operating below capacity,” reported Jinja, a Uganda based inter-governmental organization.

On the Tanzanian side, the Department of Economics at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) has conducted several studies on the problem and the findings are pretty grim.

“The depletion of stock in Lake Victoria is part of a similar problem occurring globally with fish stocks being depleted. When …

Lake Victoria Lake Tanganyika Indian Ocean Fish Market in Dar es Salaam

Tanzania’s fishing industry navigating rough waters

Countries
  • In May, Tanzania took a bold but risky step by banning fishing on Lake Tanganyika for three months.
  • In the Lake Victoria fishing zone, a new challenge, the smuggling of fish maws, is denying the government revenues.
  • Statistics show that Tanzania is also experiencing reduced volumes of Nile Perch caught in Lake Victoria.

Tanzania’s water bodies alone hold plenty of economic activity potential, including the opportunity to harness the country’s billion-dollar fishing industry.

Records from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries show that the industry employs nearly 200,000 people directly. Another 4.5 million individuals benefit from the fishing industry’s value chain in Tanzania.

Tanzania’s fishing industry share of GDP

Tanzania’s fisheries contributed 1.8 per cent to the GDP last year and expanded by at least 2.5 per cent. The sector, despite displaying plenty of potential for creating jobs and powering the economy is facing a myriad of challenges. From Tanzania’s …

Fishermen in Lake Victoria. Photo: Nation Media Group

How Kenya, UG and TZ can increase Lake Victoria’s productivity

Regional Markets

Lake Victoria’s fisheries support more than 3 million livelihoods and bring in US$500 million in revenues annually.

Nile Perch is the main fish caught in Lake Victoria. Fish maw - the air sack that aids the Nile Perch in floating and a Chinese delicacy - has been a major export source. Statistics from the Uganda Ministry of Agriculture indicate an increase in fish maw exports earning from US$27m in 2015, to US$31m in 2016, US$48m in 2017 and US$52m in 2018. These earnings exclude the earnings from Nile Perch and its eggs.

However, the lake has been invaded by water hyacinth - the floating, green mats of waxy leaves with purple blossoms - depriving the waters below of oxygen which makes it hard for aquatic life to survive.

That, plus overfishing which occurs when fishermen use undersized nets that catch fish before they reach maturity, rapid population growth, and pollution…

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Lake Victoria’s forgotten sea route revived 

Lake Victoria’s forgotten sea route revived 

Industry and Trade

For years, steamers carrying goods and passengers were the main transport mode across Lake Victoria moving from one country to another and easing cross border trade. In its hey days, Lake Victoria had over five functional ports: Kisumu being the largest, Mwanza, Musoma and Bukoba in Tanzania, Entebbe, Jinja and Port Bell all in Uganda. There were other minor ports scattered across the area including Kendu Bay, Port Victoria, and Mbita Point which were mainly used by smaller boats. 

The lake was mainly used to move goods from one point to another, but also was instrumental in the growth of the fishing industry in East Africa. There were also international ferries operating clockwise and anticlockwise across the lake cities of the biggest lake in Africa, moving thousands of passengers every year. Initially, the ferries and ports were run under the East African Railways and Harbou

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