Kisumu,8/10/07
 
MORETHAN 2000 FISH SPECIES HAVE DISAPPERED IN LAKE VICTORIA

By Leo Odera Omolo

Atleast 2000 fish species, especially the Cichild stock have mysteriously disappeared from Lake Victoria over the past 40 years, a survey conducted by experts has revealed.

The study carried out by the Uganda National Fisheries Research Institute showed that over 600 species existed in the Lake in the early 1960s before the introduction of the Nile Perch.

The Nile Perch is largely responsible for the Cichild depletion as it feeds on most of them, revealed the Institute?s Deputy Executive Director, Dr Lucas Ndaula. Cichild span a wide range of body sizes from species as small as 2.5 centimeters in length.

Cichild species include Angelfish, Oscars, Aunlonocara, Fire mouth Cichild, Golden Tropheops, Bunblesbees, Sorotherodous, Tilapia and Haplochromina (Nkejje)

Ndawula also noted in his report that annual fish landings, especially of Nile Perch and Tilapia had reduced forcing its price to increase.

On September 22 Uganda Daily Vision reported that the prize of the Nile Perh had increased to between Ushs 4000 to Ushs 5000 for 1kg from between Ush 800 to Ushs 1000 about six years ago

He explained that the decrease in fish landings was due to the substantial increase in the fishing pressure. The number of fishermen increased from 129,305 in the year 2000 to 196,426 in 2006, which translates into a 52% increase.

The researcher was speaking during a trade and environment dialogue focusing on fisheries sector organized by Environmental Alert at the hotel Africana in Kampala last week.

Fishing crafts registered a 63% increase from 42,498 to 69,160 fishing crafts with board engines leaped by 211% of 12,000 total gillnets rise from 650,653 to 1.2 million (88 percent)

Total longtime books increased by 61% from 3 million to 9 million. The decline, Mr Ndavula said had forced desperate fishermen to catch immature fish.

He added that 23% of fish processed in local industries were immature. Uganda has over 20,000 tonnes of fish worth 150 million US dollar annually.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com