ALBERT

Description: This report gives the baseline information specifically on water quality (physical/chemical, nutrient and phytoplankton biomass status) of the open part of the lake, a river flowing into the lake and a lagoon, within Butiaba-Wanseko area.Oil and gas exploration in the Albertine Graben are on-going activities by Tullow Oil Plc, and Heritage Oil and Gas (Heritage). Part of the activities involve 2-D TZ seismic surveys in exploration area Block 2 (Butiaba-Wanseko area) in Buliisa District. A study of the transition zone (basically along the shoreline was undertaken by National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) on behalf of Environmental Assessment Consult Ltd (EACL) during September 2007. A major objective of the study was to carry out a baseline survey of the fisheries and water quality of the lake shore between Wanseko and Butiaba prior to the proposed 2-D Seisimic investigation.

Description: The study is prompted by the poverty that persisted among the fishing communities of lake victoria at time of considerable cash inflow into the fisheries development of fish processing industry. There has been need for understanding of the poverty and what strategies would be most appreciate for it's reduction.This study has attempted to respond to the needby identifying the nature and distribution of the poverty within the fisheries lake victoria,Uganda, the factor responsible for itand the options for poverty reduction intervention. The study examined the global and regional perspectives of poverty and wealth distribution, noting that wide disparities existed between the developed and the developing world and also between the developing countries themselves. A historical review of development policies and strategies revealed that while successive strategies were able to contribute to growth, their achievement towards poverty alleviation were less than satisfactory, hence the need forcontinually developing new strategies.A background to Uganda’s society and economy is provided, examining the demographic, political, environmental and economic conditions of the country. Uganda’s developmentstrategies are reviewed, highlighting the role of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan, Uganda’s main strategy for implementing the policy of poverty reduction and wealthdistribution. At the agricultural sector level, the Plan for the Modernisation of Agriculture has been formulated, followed by the National Fisheries Policy, aimed at providing a policy framework for the management and development of the fisheries.An appropriate definition of poverty was formulated, considered relevant to the situation ofLake Victoria. The dimensions of poverty included inadequate basic necessities, low education and health achievements, a sense of insecurity and exposure to risk. The research methodology was enhanced by the examination of the Lélé Model of the Poverty–Environmental Degradation problem, the World Bank Model of Poverty Causation and thesubsequent Lake Victoria Model developed in this study. It has provided a plan for the research, the consideration of criteria and a data collection plan. The data collectioninstruments included secondary data search, key informant interviews and a sample survey based on a structured questionnaire.The study identified all the four dimensions of poverty in the fisheries, provided poverty profiles with respect to the different activities, groups of people and regions in the fisheries, based on consumption poverty. Among the people identified to be in poverty were the fishing labourers, fishers of Oreochromis niloticus and those operating with non-powered boats. In the post-harvest fisheries, large proportions of processors involved in salting and sun-drying, market stall and bicycle traders were in the poverty category. The ethnic groups most affected included the Samia, Basoga and Bakenye while the Districts of Jinja, Bugiri and Busia had the highest proportions of fishers in the poverty category. With respect to the other dimensions of poverty, the study showed that educational achievement was low within the fishing communities. The health status was poor, due mainly to the prevalence of malaria, diarrhoea, bilharzia and HIV/AIDS. There was a sense of insecurity within certain sections of the fishing community, due to leadership weaknesses within the local as well as the Government institutions. Some community members operated in a state of risk because they were vulnerable to episodes of income, health and education. The causes of poverty in fisheries included weaknesses within the institutional and social environment, limitations in the technology available to the poor, resource degradation and unfavourable economic factors. The recommendations of the study for poverty reduction included strengthening of policies, developing links, improving capacities and increasing resources, to be applied at the levels of Central Government, Local Government and of the community. In view of the achievements of the methodology used on this study, involving reference to the models, it is recommended that future research should build upon this model approach, as it will continue to produce results, especially when attempting to forecast changes relating to interventions.

Description: Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP)

Description: The purpose of the study was to investigate migratory movements of fishermen on lake victoria.To identify the cuases of fishrmen migration with a view to establishing the paterns of migration;determining season of migration and assessing the impacts of migration on fisheries management and development.

Description: Implementation of a Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP)

Description: The fisheries of small lakes are important for producing fish for local populations not clear the larger lakes.The satelite support important fisheries and other economic activities like fishing water for domestic purpose and tourism besides socio-cultural functions.

Description: Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP)

Description: postive transformation of the fisheries sector in Uganda has of recent been scatted by failure to mountain fish quality and safety,akey prerequiste for retaining and gaining fish markets.The social cultural study established the extent to which social cutural practices had affected the levels and the use of sanitation facilities,fish handling facilities and artisanal fish processing techniques and the factors that influenced these practices in the fishing communities of lake victoria.This information is of significance for the purpose of advocacy and mobilization of fishers in order to improve sanitation, fish handling and artisanal fishing processing situation in the fishing communities.

Description: Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP)

Description: This is LVEMP Socio-Economic Research Report, 6

Description: Although other research studies on areas such as the physical-chemical, nutrients and phytoplankton status of Lake Kyoga systems have been given a lot of attention (e.g. Mungoma 1988 and NaFIRRI 2006), efforts to determine the pollution status of this system, especially by heavy metals as one of the worldwide emerging environmental problems, is still limited. Many trace metals are regarded as serious pollutants of aquatic ecosystems because of their persistence, toxicity and ability to be incorporated into food chains (Mwamburi J., and Nathan O.F., 1997). Given the rapid human population growth and the associated economic activities both within the rural and urban areas in Uganda, such fish production systems are becoming very prone to various kinds of pollution including that by heavy metals. Anthropogenic factors such deforestation, use of chemicals and dumping of metallic products, spillages of fuels from outboard engines and many others and or natural processes involving atmospheric deposition by wind or rain, surface run-offs and streams flows from the catchment introduces heavy metals into the lake environment,.

Description: Fishing communities that have exploited the resource forgenerations constitute the main stakeholder groups in thefisheries of Lake Victoria. Several studies have examinedUganda's Lake Victoria fishing communities andcharacterised key stakeholders at community level over thelast decade (SEDAWOG 1999a and b; Geheb 1997;FeSEP 1997; Kitakule 1991).The communities are made up of scattered settlements at the shores and on islands.The categories of people living in these communities include fishers who consist primarily of large numbers of male youths who provide labour to boat and gear owners.There are resident and non-resident fish traders who after securing their supplies at the beaches, depart for their market destinations. In addition, there are fish processors,mostly operating traditional and improved smoking kilns. Many other people, dealing in provisions and supplies also stay at the beaches, their activities depending on thelevel of fish catch. The fishing communities of Lake Victoria, Uganda, include auxiliary livelihood activities such as boat building, net repairing and transportation; bait supply and beachside kiosks, video halls and retail shop business. Other economic activities are brick making, charcoal burning/wood trade, farming and livestock keeping.

Description: The overall objective of the study was to develop a better understanding of how people perceived and responded to the fisheries management measures on Lake Victoria and were affected by them.

Description: Despite their ecological and socio-economic importance,Lake Victoria's adjoining "swamps" and lake interface areamong the least investigated parts of the lake.The "swamps" a term commonly equated to "wastelands"and the difficult working environment they present incomparison to open water, are major factors for the lowlevel of attention accorded to shoreline wetlands. Moreover, definitions of wetlands highlighted for example in the Ramsar Convention as "areas of marsh, fern, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh or brackish, or salt, including areas of marine water, the depth of which does not exceed six metres" (Ramsar, 1971) were designed to protect birds (water fowl) of international importance. The Ramsar definition, which also includes oceans, has till recently been of limited use for Lake Victoria, because itdoes not fully recognise wetlands in relation to other public concerns such as water quality, biodiversity and the tisheries that are of higher socioeconomic priority than waterfowl. Prior to 1992, fishery research on Lake Victoria included studies of inshore shallow habitats of the lake without specific reference to distance or the type of vegetation at the shore. Results of these studies also conveniently relied heavily on trawl and gill net data from the 5-10 m depth zones as the defining boundary of shallow inshore habitats.In Lake Victoria, such a depth range can be at least one kilometre from the lake interface and by the 10m depth contour, habitats are in the sub-littoral range. Findings from these studies could thus not be used to make direct inferences on the then assumed importance of Lake Victoria wetlands in general.

Description: Worldwide, human activity in the watershed has beenfound to induce lake responses at various levels, includingat population and ecosystem scale. Recently, Carignanand Steedman (2000) reported on disruptions ofbiogeochemical cycles in temperate lakes followingwatershed deforestation and lor wildfire and Carignanet al., (2000 a, b) concluded that water quality and aquaticbiota are strongly influenced by disturbances in thewatershed. Similarly, Lake Victoria is no exception aspeople in its catchment have exploited it for the last hundred years or more, but have now begun to understand the extent to which they have thrown the lake into disorder and how their increasing activity in the watershed have driven some environmental changes within and around the lake.

Description: The purpose of the Socio-economic Baseline Survey of the Fishing Communities was to provide information on the fish landing beaches, people involved in fisheries, their livelihood activities and facilities available to them.

Description: Implementation of a Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) Project

Description: A baseline survey of the fishing communities wasconducted in 2005/06 as one of the main studies underthe Socio-economic Research and Monitoring WorkingGroup on Lake Victoria. The overall objective of thesurvey was to provide a deeper understanding of thebroad socio-economic characteristics and well being ofthe different stakeholder groups immediately dependenton the Lake Victoria fisheries. An understanding of socioeconomic status of the fishery primary stakeholders, who include fishers, artisanal processors and traders, isessential for any subsequent periodic evaluation ofdevelopment. During the survey, a total of 1,235respondents were interviewed, at 34 landing sites in allthe Ugandan districts on Lake Victoria.The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide informationon the fish landing beaches, people involved in fisheries,their livelihood activities and facilities available to them.

Description: Over the period 2008 to 2010, NaFIRRI carried out a number of socio-economic studies on the Kyoga lakes to provide an update of the socio-economic conditions of the fisheries and also to address specific areas of fisheries socio-economic issues and development concerns. The data collection was conducted using Key informant interviews, questionnaire sample surveys, Focus Group Discussions, secondary data searches and field observations. The objective of this fact sheet is, therefore, to provide key information from these studies for use at national, district, community levels as well as by other interested stakeholders.

Description: We examined socio-economic variables that contribute to malnutrition in selected communities in the Lake Victoria basin during 2001. The study was carried out innine districts and hinterland communities up to 25 km awayfrom the beach were used as the reference population. The main variables examined were: feeding habits, income and intra-household food distribution and living standards. Others included disease and health, sanitation and hygiene, childcare and mothers' age and workload, weaning practices, agricultural production and food availability, careduring pregnancy and food taboos.

Description: The physical-chemical characteristics of any aquatic ecosystem include pH, conductivity, and temperature, water transparency, nutrient and the chlorophyll-a levels. Physical and chemical factors of any ecosystem determine the type and quality of flora present in it and these forms the basis on which the system operates. The elements required in largest amounts for plant productions are carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and silicon, which is important for diatoms as a major component of the cell wall. Nutrients may limit algal productivity in the tropics despite the high temperature there allowing rapid nutrient recycling. Nutrients most likely to be limiting African lakes are nitrogen (Talling & Talling 1965; Moss 1969; Lehman & Branstrator 1993, 1994) and phosphorus (Melack.et al l982; Kalff 1983) while silicon may limit diatom growth (Hecky & Kilham 1988).The objective of the study is to investigate the impact of physical-chemical characteristics on the distribution and abundance of organisms in the major aquatic ecosystems.

Description: On title page: The Ugandan Version

Description: The specific objectives were to:WATER QUALITY1. To measure the water physical variables as indicators of environmental conditions in the upstream and downstream transects of Kalange (1) and Buyala (2), respectively,2. To determine the concentrations of total suspended solids as a major constituent likely to be released into the waters at any time during the construction activities, by comparing the concentrations at the two transects.FISH CATCH1. To follow up trends in fish catch as construction activity progresses, and to precision of the estimate;2. To estimate the prevailing fish catch rates, total fish catches and the total value of the fish catch to the local fishers at the two transects.

Description: On title page: Environmental and Social Impact Monitoring of the Bujagali Hydropower Project (BHPP), Uganda Fisheries Component

Description: National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) undertakes quarterly monitoring of the water environment at Source of the Nile (SON) fish farm. The activity which is through a collaborative arrangement between SON fish farm and NaFIRRI aims at assessing possible changes in the water environment at SON cage area. The fish rearing activity at SON fish farm involves keeping fish in cages often under high stocking densities and feeding them on artificial feeds that are not the natural food eaten by wild fish. Cages being open systems means that all wastes such as faeces, uneaten feed and fish excretes such as ammonia are shed into the water column (Fernandes et al., 2001). The consequence is increased nutrient input which may result into high algal growth (bloom). Although this may mean more food available to primary consumers such as zooplankton, blooms caused by blue-green algae may be harmful as certain species are associated with production of toxins. In addition, the degradation of excessive phytoplankton biomass can lead to anoxic conditions in sediments underlying the cages thus changing the abundance and composition of the resident fauna. Napoleon Gulf being a shallow bay at the exit of River Nile from Lake Victoria harbours a wide variety of wild fish species that are cherished by riparian human populations. The wild fishes living close to cages are bound to be affected by activities associated with this method of fish farming. Cage farming is likely to affect the presence, abundance, diet and residence time of organisms in given vicinity (Carss, 1990; Dempster et al., 2002). Floating structures including cages may act as Fish Attracting Devices (FADs) and most pelagic fishes are known to be strongly attracted to floating objects (Freon and Dagorn, 2000; Castro et al., 2002). Wild fish could be attracted to these sites by for example plenty of food available to the cultured fishes (Bjordal & Skar, 1992). In the process, other ecological interactions between cultured and wild fish may be possible. Wild fish may also be instrumental in cleaning the environment close to the cages through eating any excess uneaten food left by cultured fishes. Caged fish under crowded conditions is susceptible to waterborne diseases and could infect wild fish or vice versa. While diseases breaking out among cultured fishes may be controlled through treatment, the wild fishes cannot undergo treatment and may thus spread diseases to other fishes, hence affecting yields from capture fishery. Furthermore, escape of cultured fish may cause genetic dilution hence decreasing genetic diversity of fish. These and other possible impacts of cages on the water environment may consequently result into conflicts 2 with other resource users especially due to deteriorating water quality and effect on wild fishes, consequently affecting the cage aquaculture industry. Therefore, the following were established as key parameters to be monitored: water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, water transparency, total suspended solids, nutrient status, algae, zooplankton, benthic macro invertebrates and fish communities. The present report presents field observations made at the two cage sites of Source of the Nile fish farm including upstream, downstream and reference points, for the second quarter (April to June) undertaken in June 2017. The report provides a scientific interpretation and discussion of the results with reference to possible impacts of the cage facilities on the water environment and the different aquatic biota in and around the fish cage site.

Description: The monitoring of water quality and biotic communities at Source of the Nile (SON) fish farm area, for quarter 4 (October – December) was undertaken in December 2017. The activity aimed at assessing possible changes in the water environment at SON cage area. The following parameters were assessed: water physico-chemicals and nutrients, algae, zooplankton, benthic macro invertebrates, and fish communities. Total depth was above 5.0 m (range: 5.63 – 9.74 m) at all sampled points and decreased towards the downstream of cages. Water transparency ranged from 1.26 – 1.48 in the cage area and 1.08 to 1.34 m away from the cages. Within the cage area, Dissolved Oxygen ranged from 5.7 – 6.4 mg/L at the surface, and 5.1 – 6.4 mg/L at the bottom, while in the non-cage areas, the range was 5.5 – 7.5 mg/L at the surface and 2.6 – 7.0 mg/L at the bottom. Temperature ranged from 27.0 – 28.0 o C at the surface and 25.5 – 27.5 o C at the bottom waters for all sites, and were within the optimal range (25 – 32 o C). pH in both surface and bottom waters was above 7.0 (range: 7.5 – 9.2) at all sites. Conductivity within cage area ranged from 100.5 – 102.6 μScm-1 in surface water and 101.8 – 112.1 μScm-1 in bottom water. In the non-cage areas conductivity ranged from 11.0 – 104.4 μScm-1 in surface water and 100.2 – 110.0 μScm-1 at the bottom. Ammonium nitrogen concentration during December was less than 0.02 mg/L at all sites (0.007 – 0.018 mg/L within the cage sites, and 0.012 – 0.019 mg/L in the non-cage sites). Nitrite nitrogen ranged from 0.002 – 0.169 mg/L in the cage area, and 0.003 – 0.057 mg/L in the non-cage areas. Similar to previous records of June and September 2017, nitrate nitrogen concentration generally increased towards the downstream site, being lowest at RPT (0.041 mg/L) and highest at DSC (0.204 mg/L). Soluble reactive phosphorus was less than 0.005 mg/L at all sites, and varied within narrow margin (range: 0.003 – 0.0048 mg/L in cage sites, and 0.0032 – 0.0047 mg/L in non-cage sites). The TP concentration ranged from 0.085 – 0.107 mg/L in the cages, and 0.090 – 0.118 mg/L in the non-cage sites and was higher than recorded in September (0.038 – 0.044 mg/L in the cages and 0.04 to 0.109 mg/L away from cages). Total nitrogen concentration was in the range of 0.138 – 0.553 mg/L within cage area and 0.421 – 0.513 mg/L in non-cage areas. The concentration of TSS ranged from 0.76 – 4.33 mg/L in the cage area and 0.57 – 2.76 mg/L in the non-cage areas. The phytoplankton community was composed of blue-green algae, green algae and diatoms, dominated by blue-green algae. The abundance of algae was higher in the non-cage areas (mean:7.20 ± 2.14 mm3L-1, Range: 5.15 – 10.20 mm3L-1) than recorded in the cage areas (mean: 6.0 ± 0.71 mm3L-1, Range: 5.30 – 6.98 mm3L-1), similar to observations of September 2017 (〈 5 mm3L1 within the cages and 〉5.6 mm3L-1 in the non-cage sites). At all sampled points, blue-green algae contributed 〉70% of total abundance. Total zooplankton abundance ranged from 982,213 – 1,310,830 ind.m-2 in the non-cage sites, and 740,601 – 1,503,130 ind.m-2 in the cage areas. Similar to observations of September 2017, the upper cage site (WIC3 and WIC4) presented lower zooplankton abundance (mean: 788,954 ± 68,381 ind.m-2) when compared to the lower cage site with mean abundance of 1,128,232 ± 530,186 ind.m-2. Like in the previous sampling periods, copepods were the numerically dominant group (92.69 – 97.22 % of total zooplankton abundance) at all sampled points, with no major differences between cage and non-cage areas. The high abundance of copepods was attributed to the abundance of the juvenile stages (copepodites and Nauplius larvae) which contributed 83.72 – 92.78% of the total zooplankton abundance and this was mainly due to the Nauplius larvae (66.4 – 83.2 %). Cladocera relative abundance ranged from 0.32 – 3.98% while that of rotifers ranged from 1.55 – 3.74%. The macro-benthic community comprised molluscs, annelids and arthropods. Taxa richness ranged from 5 – 11 taxa in the cage area, and 7 – 9 taxa in the non-cage areas. The abundance of benthic invertebrates within the cage area ranged from 1,134 – 2,416 ind.m-2 and this was higher than previously recorded in September (294 – 1,415 ind.m-2). In the non-cage sites abundance was in the range of 420 – 3,992 ind.m-2. Oligochaete annelids which are reported to be very tolerant to pollution contributed 0 - 28 % of the abundance of benthos at cage sites and 3 - 20% at the non-cage sites. Diptera made the greatest contribution at almost all sites, with the percent abundance being higher in non-cage sites (40 – 86%) than what was recorded in the cage sites (37 – 82%). Chironomus spp. and Chaoborus sp. were the main contributors to the observed Diptera abundance at all sites. Six fish species, including haplochromines (Nkejje) as a single species group, were recorded in the vicinity of the cages during December 2017. Five fish species were recorded from upstream the cage site, four species from within cage area, and two species from downstream the cages. Overall mean catch rates were 1.8 fish/net/night and 148.6g/net/night compared to 1.7 fish/net/night and 175.4g/net/night recorded in September 2017. By weight, catch rates in December 2017 were highest upstream the cage site (312.1g/net/night) and also by numbers (3.1 fish/net/night). Four species of haplochromines were recorded in the vicinity of the cages during the survey of December 2017 compared to six species recorded in September 2017. The overall catch rate for the haplochromines, in December 2017 was 1.7fish/net/night and 27.5g/net/night compared to 3.4 fish/net/night and 62.3g/net/night recorded in the previous survey of September 2017. Among the fish species examined during December 2017 survey, most of the haplochromine cichlids (88.9%) were mature but only 50% breeding. Only one specimen of L. niloticus was mature and breeding. All S. afrofischeri and S. victoriae specimens examined were mature and in breeding condition while M. kannume was immature. The diet of fishes encountered comprised mostly of fish and insects, which are known natural foods of the fish species. Infection by fish parasites during the survey of December 2017 was not noticed in any fish recorded from the experimental gillnets. The overall observation on concentrations of nutrients, levels of physico-chemical variables, and biotic communities indicated minimal impact of cages on water quality. The farm should therefore continue adhering to the best environmentally sustainable aquaculture practices, especially continuing with fallowing or rotation of cages to allow resident organisms maintain their natural population densities, distribution and community structure in the area; reducing excess uneaten feed and other suspended materials which would impact on nutrient status and biota; as well as wise use of any chemicals in the area.

Description: The review report on Kyoga basin lakes (NAFIRRI 2007) described Kyoga basin lakes as important natural resource for the communities within the basin and the surrounding areas. Fisheries of the basin provide a source of protein, income, and employment to generally poor communities in the area. The lakes also generate revenue to the local Governments within the catchment. This indicates that the fisheries of Kyoga basin lakes are a key instrument in poverty eradication and food security. The lakes also act as a source of water for domestic, agricultural and transport purposes. Some of the Kyoga small lakes harbour fish species, which have disappeared from the main lakes Victoria and Kyoga and are therefore important for biodiversity conservation

Description: The objectives of the study was to provide information on the changes in the socio- economis status of the fisher communities.The study aimed at contributing to the following selected OVIs of the IFMP log frame:"10% increased in incomes from fish catches by fishing crews by EOP",20% women in BMUs reporting increased household incomefrom fishing by EOP","50% women and fishing crews in BMUs reporting greater say in fisheries decision making.

Description: The fisheries of Lake Victoria have undergonea dramatic transformation during the last two decades. From being a locally based fishery with little intervention and capital investment from outside,the present fishery is dominated by national and international capital penetrating the industry. It is explosion in the growth of nile perch and the strong demand devloped for this fishin the global markets, which have transformed the fisheries of the Lake victoria. This report presents the results of a survey carried out between October 2001 and February 2002 about the fishery distribution patterns and their impacts on fisher communities of Lake Victoria. The fisheries distribution pattern of the lake is described as well as the flows and benefits from the fisheries resource and the resource constraints and sustainability options. A major part of the paper discusses some of the socio-economic impacts of the rapid changes that are responsible for the present fisheries. It particularly focuses on the effect of the Nile perch boom, its globalization and the development of the fish industry in Uganda, on food security and employment for the local population.

Description: Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMP)