Response of fish stocks in Lake Victoria to enforcement of the ban on illegal fishing: Are there lessons for management?

Nyamweya, Chrisphine S.; Natugonza, Vianny; Kashindye, Benedicto Boniphace; Mangeni-Sande, Richard; Kagoya, Esther; Mpomwenda, Veronica; Mziri, Venny; Elison, Mboni; Mlaponi, Enock; Ongore, Collins; Makori, Amina; Shaban, Sophia S.; Aura, Christopher Mulanda; Kayanda, Robert; Taabu‐Munyaho, Anthony; Njiru, James; Ogari, Zachary; Proud, Roland; Brierley, Andrew S.

doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2023.01.001

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…However, it is important to exercise caution before directly attributing this outcome primarily to "Operation Sangara" undertaken in 2017/2018 -2019/2020 (Kandoya 2018). Though a decrease in the numbers of fishers (-6.5%), boats (-6.7%), monofilament nets (-24.4%, mainly targeting Tilapia) and beach/boat seines (-14%) was reported for Tanzania before and after the operation (Nyamweya et al, 2023) it is less clear what impact the enforcement effort had on illegal mesh sizes used in the Nile perch fishery. Other factors might have contributed to the shift to large mesh sizes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, effective management measures are vital to ensure fishery sustainability and a healthy sector. In Lake Victoria, current gear regulations have as objectives to protect immature and also called "undersized" fish, with the ultimate goal to increase the biomass of commercial species and, particularly, of big Nile perch (>50 cm) as well as the total catch of Nile perch (Nyamweya et al, 2023). For this purpose, gear regulations focus on restricting the use of small mesh sizes of gillnets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examining nominal effort and fishing patterns makes it possible to identify the factors driving changes in the fishery, such as shifts in gear preferences, alterations in fishing effort allocation, and adaptations in fishing strategies. Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater body globally, faces significant challenges concerning its fishery (Kolding et al, 2008;Natugonza et al, 2022;Njiru et al, 2014;Nyamweya et al, 2023;Ogutu-Ohwayo et al, 1997). To ensure sustainable fishery management, assessing catch levels and understanding the development of fishing efforts in the region is important (Natugonza et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While these enforcement efforts had a notable impact on reducing the number of illegal gears, they had a limited effect on the overall fishing effort. Additionally, the objectives of increasing the biomass of commercial species and big Nile perch (50 cm) and the total catch of Nile perch were not achieved (Nyamweya et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Nile perch fishery faces significant challenges due to declining catch rates and increasing fishing pressure (Nyamweya et al, 2023). Economic incentives, operational constraints and enforcement of management regulations drive the size selection by Nile perch fishers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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From choice to catch : Effort allocation drivers and strategies of Nile perch fishers in Lake Victoria

Peter

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BackgroundLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes, the world's largest tropical lake (Saundry and Boukerrou 2012), and the world's second-largest freshwater lake by surface (Awange and Ong'ang 'a 2006; Wikipedia). It supports one of the world's largest inland fisheries in terms of catch volume (0.8-1 million tons), numbers of fishers (220,000), and landing sites (>1500) along the 3500km coastline and the numerous islands of the lake (LVFO, 2017;. The Lake's history and current statistics indicate significant environmental and biological changes, including its diversity of fish species (Mungai et al., 2019). The deterioration of the environment presumably causes these changes, the introduction of foreign species, overfishing, and the ban on fish exports (Njiru et al., 2008). Before the 1980s, the lake ecology was home to hundreds of endemic haplochromine fishes (Hecky et al., 2010;Kaufman 1992).Commercial fishing was limited to traditional table fish species: tilapiines, Bagrus, Clarias, Labeo, Protopterus, Mormyrus, and Barbus (Kudhongania et al., 1992). The fish community changed after the 1980s, becoming simpler as only economically significant species dominated its biomass: Nile perch (Lates niloticus L.), Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.),

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%