Nile Perch species facing extinction
THE fast rate at which the Nile Perch in Lake Victoria is dwindling has caused concern among the three countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) that share the lake.
By Chris Kiwawulo
THE fast rate at which the Nile Perch in Lake Victoria is dwindling has caused concern among the three countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) that share the lake.
Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) executive secretary Dick Nyeko said fish stock had reduced from 1.9 million tonnes in 1999 to 370,000 tonnes by July 2008. Lake Victoria provides 86,000 tonnes of Nile Perch exports worth $310m per year.
“The diminishing of the Nile Perch is dangerous to the economy of the three countries,†Nyeko stated during a press briefing about the proposed Fisheries Recovery Management Plan at Hotel Africana yesterday.
The plan and challenges in the fisheries sector will be discussed during the forthcoming regional conference on Lake Victoria Fisheries to take place between November 27 and 29 in Entebbe.
LVFO senior scientist Oliva Mkumbo attributed the dwindling stock to the increase in the number of fishermen and indiscriminate fishing.
“Fishermen use very small hooks to catch immature Nile perch. If this is not checked, the fish specie will get depleted,†Mkumbo noted.
She also said the number of fishermen increased from 196,426 in 2006 to 199,242 in 2008. Long line hooks that are predominantly used to catch immature Nile perch on Lake Victoria increased from 9 million to 11 million, she added.
With 169 beach management units and about 200,000 fishermen, Lake Victoria produces over a million tonnes of fish valued at $400m at the beach and $313m in exports annually. The fresh water body is shared by Uganda (43%), Tanzania (51%) and Kenya (6%).
Mkumbo also acknowledged that the lake is polluted by effluents from industries but dismissed reports that it was a general problem.
“Pollution needs to be checked by treating the effluents from industries before they are released into the lake, but the lake is not dead as some people claim,†she asserted. She said the lake only experiences low oxygen circulation in some areas during November and May.
THE fast rate at which the Nile Perch in Lake Victoria is dwindling has caused concern among the three countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) that share the lake.
Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) executive secretary Dick Nyeko said fish stock had reduced from 1.9 million tonnes in 1999 to 370,000 tonnes by July 2008. Lake Victoria provides 86,000 tonnes of Nile Perch exports worth $310m per year.
“The diminishing of the Nile Perch is dangerous to the economy of the three countries,†Nyeko stated during a press briefing about the proposed Fisheries Recovery Management Plan at Hotel Africana yesterday.
The plan and challenges in the fisheries sector will be discussed during the forthcoming regional conference on Lake Victoria Fisheries to take place between November 27 and 29 in Entebbe.
LVFO senior scientist Oliva Mkumbo attributed the dwindling stock to the increase in the number of fishermen and indiscriminate fishing.
“Fishermen use very small hooks to catch immature Nile perch. If this is not checked, the fish specie will get depleted,†Mkumbo noted.
She also said the number of fishermen increased from 196,426 in 2006 to 199,242 in 2008. Long line hooks that are predominantly used to catch immature Nile perch on Lake Victoria increased from 9 million to 11 million, she added.
With 169 beach management units and about 200,000 fishermen, Lake Victoria produces over a million tonnes of fish valued at $400m at the beach and $313m in exports annually. The fresh water body is shared by Uganda (43%), Tanzania (51%) and Kenya (6%).
Mkumbo also acknowledged that the lake is polluted by effluents from industries but dismissed reports that it was a general problem.
“Pollution needs to be checked by treating the effluents from industries before they are released into the lake, but the lake is not dead as some people claim,†she asserted. She said the lake only experiences low oxygen circulation in some areas during November and May.