The social-demographics and effects of unsustainable extraction and fish handling in Rukundo village, Buikwe District, Central Uganda

Abstract

The fisheries of Lake Victoria have undergone a 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 the explosion in the growth of Nile perch and the strong demand developed for this fish in the global markets, which have transformed the fisheries of Lake Victoria. This study evaluated the effect of social demographics of the fishing community and the unsustainable extraction and fish handling at Rukondo Village in Buikwe District. The specific objectives of the study were; to document the social-demographics of the fishing community; examine the fish handling and processing methods; and estimate the effect and damage on fish during extraction and handling methods. The study used descriptive longitudinal approach, both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection was used to collect data from a sample of 2 fishery zones with 50 household per local private sector approximately to 70 households with in the area. Questionnaires were administered to the selected fishermen and fish traders who were selected using purposive and stratified simple random sampling. The information obtained was coded and entered in a database utilising the software package; the data were then converted into SPSS V.8.0 system files for processing and preliminary analysis. The study shows that tilapia and Nile perch are the common fish species traded in the study area. Some fishers who resort to bad fishing methods do it for their survival since they are poor, unemployed and cannot afford the legal gears, which are too expensive for them. The lack of a comprehensive law on fishing is also making it possible for illegal nets and poison to be used. The policy recommendation is that the government should focus on establishment and new extraction and handling techniques in fish farming which will help the majority of the fishermen involved in fishing out of the poverty cycle due to high profit margins accruing from fish farming. The loses and damage should be better integrated into the Fisheries Resource Co-management institutions on the Lake Victoria so as to provide technical advice and affordable solutions to fishermen in order to improve on the fish extraction and handling techniques.