Millions could face untold disaster as fish stocks decline in Uganda
by Dorothy Nakaweesi & Joseph Olanyo
Date: 29-07-2008
Source: Daily Monitor
Up to 1.5 million people in Uganda who live off fishing as an economic activity face a real threat to their livelihoods as fish stocks continue to plummet to dangerous levels. Despite being the number two export-earning commodity for Uganda after coffee, fish stocks according to recent reports are projected to drop in value to $80 million this year from its peak of $148 million in 2005.
The stunning revelation points to fishing pressure, burgeoning demand for fish, locally and internationally and over exploitation of the lakes, as the cause of scarcity of fish, widely consumed. Mr Wilson Mwanja, the commissioner of the Fisheries Department, projects that fish exports for the year 2008 will drop by over $60 million from the highest level recorded in 2005. Fish have been on the decline and there is fear the trend may continue. Fish export earnings for 2007 dropped by $19.4 million to $117.3 million from the previous year.
Increasing costs of production, the strong shilling and high freight charges have further dealt a blow to the sector leading to the closure of five fish exporting firms. Threatened by a possible economic catastrophe, the government is taking frantic measures to solve the problem by ensuring that fish production increases to at least one million tonnes annually.
It has earmarked over Shs120 billion for various interventions designed to temporarily reduce the nation’s over-fishing. “Calling off excessive fishing efforts by providing packages for alternative livelihoods for fishermen who opt out voluntarily is one of the measures we are going to effect,” Dr Mukisa told Business Power last week.
He said that this will be done through sensitizing fishermen and training them to pursue down stream fishing activities such as processing, trading, and providing supplies for fishing. They will then be certified to phase out the country’s current open-access policy. According to Dr. Mukisa’s report the government will also introduce a fishing holiday policy during which time fish mongers will be required not to undertake any fishing activity to allow fish to breed and grow to add on their population.
Mr Mukisa said that to enact this new policy, government will require fishermen to start taking holidays. The government’s strategy will also introduce fishing and fish supply quarters for all licensed fish processors and exporters. In the last decade, Uganda’s fish exports to premium international markets, the country’s fish processing capacity has grown from two factories to 18. However, seven factories have recently closed, due to the over-fishing that resulted from the scramble for finite resources, coupled with the impact of regional traders, who are largely engaged in the illicit trade of immature fish, all exacerbated by the existence of poor technical oversight due to inadequate funding of the sector.
Despite the legal requirement that all fish traded is processed be it for local, regional or international markets, only 30 per cent of the fish is processed resulting in low value and high post harvest losses. The free market economy is also looked at as undermining competitiveness of local exporters because most lakes are shared, and fish is sold to neighbouring countries that offer better prices.
The new strategy hopes to increase aquaculture activity to reduce pressure on lakes by ensuring that farmers can breed fish on their own land. The strategy will also review the draft Fisheries Bill to allow for more direct public control of the fisheries resources, to increase resources to manage and develop the sector, and to establish a levy to support the management and development of the natural fisheries resources. If the fish situation is not addressed early, Mr Mukisa said Uganda could be hit with a severe shortage of fish resources.
The growing population will require 525,000 tonnes of fish for local consumption in four years, at a projected population of 35 million and a per capita fish consumption rate of 15kg per year. Over the same period, Uganda will need to maintain its position in the fish export market by expanding its production to 150,000 tonnes for premium markets and another 150,000 tonnes for the regional fish trade.
Experts however caution that any policy that does not include the participation of the East African region is likely to fail. Currently, the ministry has started the construction of 10 landing sites. The construction of another four will commence this October.
An additional 16 have been planned, with funding being sought to implement the designs of these landing sites. EU will fund construction of another four landing sites and work should start soon. At least 22 fish market stalls in various districts have been constructed and will be ready for hand over in two months.
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©2008 Monitor Publications Ltd
Theme(s):
Fisheries Resources
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