Rush to kill, Demand to Death...
Demand for Nile perch flew in Europe, everybody was in a rush to make a killing – and the government opened the door to which lead to uncontrolled fishing. Said by Mr Kulinda one of the old fishermen from Bukoba in 1987
The view of Lake Victoria
When you talk about Lake Victoria, you talk about a lake with area of 68 000 km2 with 193 000 km2 of catchment area, as it shared by Uganda with 43%, Kenya 6% and Tanzania 51% such kind of share is combined with a maximum depth of 84 m and it has shoreline of 3 450 km. Currently the lake dominated by three species Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, Dagaa Rastiniobola and Nile perch Lates niloticas, these three species are the most commercially important ones with contribution of 90% biomass. According to Fisheries Management Plan for Lake Victoria 2009/2014
Topography of Lake Victoria.
According to statistics of Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute TAFIRI, Mwanza center it explains the decrease number of the Nile perch is due to illegal fishing by using improper fishing gear like makokoro, timba and makila with a small eyes which collect small species and destroy the environment of the lake Victoria. Such situation it affects the country economical, employment opportunities and even an individual income starting from Fisherman, middleman and fish seller, but even the availability of a good protein and nutritious food within a society.
“Fish business is fishy,’’ based on international market after being frozen Nile perch fillet business is grown strongly in Kenya is not at all evident in the Tanzania sector of the Lake Victoria. Yet geographical remoteness and infrastructural problems have been obstacles, back to Nyanza Fishing and Processing Company could conceivably be utilized but is reported in some disrepair and have not be adapted to deal with Nile perch after the collapse of the Haplochromis fishmeal venture, according to FAO a process ofcanning and packaging of Nile Perch is being organized by Mwanza Company which appear to be as promising enterprise
Fisherman carrying a big catch
So far three countries bordering Lake Victoria, they agreed on Nile perch tax export which is proceeds to be applied into various measure to benefit local communities and sustain fishery. Though tax has not put into influence, the implementation of fisheries and environmental laws generally are negligent while Nile perch fishery remain in essence a mining operation. The decline of Nile Perch in Lake Victoria, who knows?
Finally, with a research done by ACCORD, it shows that when it reach 2048 the amount of fish in lake Victoria will decrease based on the dropped of fish business by 50% from 400 000 tones to 200 000 tones within a period of last three years. The research was not differing to LVFO Lake Victoria Fishing Organization which was done 2005, which shows 40 years back up to now only 200types of fish in Lake Victoria is disappeared. Yet Tanzania as a nation they have to fight with a big challenge of global warming.