Uganda: Lake Victoria fishermen complain of reduced fish stock

Fishermen in Lake Victoria say fishing is no longer lucrative.

The lake, considered as the main harbour for fish in East Africa, seems to have witnessed a reduction in the quantity of fish due to overfishing.

Close to 500 species of fish in the east African lake are under threat.

“There is food scarcity in the region and people fish immature species. The big ones cannot be found leaving us with no choice,” a fisherman, Simon Lutwa, told news agencies

Fishermen link this to commercial fishing but experts of an aquaculture research centre estimate that in addition to the consequences of global warming, the attitude of fishermen is a cause for concern.

“We have different fishermen who target large fish. When there is no fish the fishermen will do everything to ensure that it is obtained,” the director of the Aquaculture Research Centre, Dr. Nafiri Dysmas Mbabazi, said.

An association of Ugandan fishermen has been working on ways to ensure that the situation is under control. Their efforts are geared towards speeding up fish reproduction.

The association believes their efforts will perhaps make fish reduction in the lake, a thing of the past.