In Uganda, climate change is significantly impacting the fisheries sector, primarily through changing water levels, increased flooding events and altered temperature patterns, leading to disruptions in fish populations.

This does not apply to Uganda but the entire East Africa especially where the three countries Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya share Lake Victoria resources.

This can affect the livelihoods of fishers and potentially impacting food security due to reduced fish availability making the fisheries sector in East Africa highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. 

This is the thinking of scientists  at Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) in Jinja.

The 2024 statistics from Uganda Bureau of Statistics indicate that the fishing sector in Uganda contributes around 3% to the national GDP representing a significant portion of the agricultural sector GDP at approximately 12%.

An estimate of between 2 million Ugandans work directly in capture fisheries, with another number of people engaged in the industrial processing fisheries sector.

The contribution is likely to be much greater, given that at least 80% of fishers are categorized as ‘artisanal’, meaning fish are largely caught for domestic use or sold directly to consumers but exports are also a contributing factor. 

Background

Scientists at NaFIRRI in Jinja conduct a number of research in the fisheries sector one of them being fish habitat management where issues related to climate change effects are tackled.

Dr Mark Olokotum the head of research and programme leader for fisheries habitat management explains that the programme involves dealing with environmental factors including water quality that facilitate fish production in East Africa especially on Lake Victoria.

Capture Fisheries Water bodies, which are the most important sources of fish cover about 20% of Uganda’s surface area and comprise five major lakes namely Victoria, Albert, Kyoga, Edward, George and 160 minor lakes in addition to rivers and wetlands.

Citing the Kenya Fisheries service data, Dr Olokotum explained the data analysis saying Kenya's total fish production, including both capture fisheries and aquaculture, is significant, with capture fisheries accounting for a large portion. Inland capture fisheries, primarily from lakes like Victoria, Turkana and Naivasha, contribute significantly, estimated at 72% of total fish production.

Marine capture fisheries, while important, contribute a smaller percentage, around 17%

Meanwhile Tanzania's annual capture fish production is around 364,351 metric tones per year, with inland fisheries contributing about 85% and marine fisheries the remaining 15%. 

A large portion of the fish production about 96% comes from capture fisheries, while aquaculture accounts for a smaller percentage.

In the case of Uganda, it is noted that the ecosystems within and around the water bodies are some of Uganda’s richest sources of biodiversity.

Uganda has a high fish species diversity of at least 500 unique and endemic species within its water bodies, especially in lakes Victoria and Kyoga and some minor lakes where ornamental fish are caught for sale and direct human consumption. 

The main commercial species are Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Nile perch (Lates niloticus), Rastrineobola argentea (Mukene), Brycinus nurse (Ragoge), Neobola bredoi (Muziri) and Bagrus docmak (Semutundu)

Others are Clarias gariepinus (Male), Hydrocynus spp (Tiger fish), Protopterus aethiopicus (Lung fish, Mamba) and Alestes spp (Angara).

There were a number of fish species such as the native tilapiines of lakes Victoria and Kyoga (O. esculentus and O. variabilis) and the riverine Labeo victorianus (Ningu) which were originally important and highly cherished food but have either disappeared completely or their populations have been reduced to uneconomic levels due to unsustainable fishing practices and environmental degradation a factor to climate change challenge.

As such Dr Olokotum and his team have the responsibility to identify some of these climate change challenges to come up with solutions to help those in the fishing sector.

Daily Monitor had the opportunity to interact with the scientists in one on one interview  as they discussed on a topic building adaptive governance including climate change issues to stake holders dealing in the fisheries value chain in Uganda and below are the details.

Climate change predictions

Dr Olokotum explained that when conducting research his team is mindful of tackling topics namely pollution, water weeds (aquatic plants), fish productivity process and climate change as a whole not only in Ugandan waters but on lake Victoria in Kenya side as well.

To him the climate change prediction of 0 degrees Celsius in terms of temperature for aquatic life is good but when it exceeds 0.1 degrees Celsius, then that may be a challenge for aquatic life.

The predictions are that in 100 years to come temperatures may rise up to 2 degrees Celsius causing increased rainfall as well as prolonged droughts.

This increase will impact on the available fish species in the Ugandan waters.

The current Lake Victoria weather predictions stand at 27% but if it increases by 2 degrees Celsius, this means the food for fish in the waters will be affected.

Fish food species cycle and the climate change challenges; pollution

Dr Olokotum further explained that these includes foods namely algae foods which require sunlight for their growth for fish such as Tilapia and Silver Fish commonly Known in the local alnguange as Mukene that feed on it

There are organisms that feed on the algae species such as flees and other insects will increase if there is greenery.

These insects include among others lake flies, Mayflies, Stone flies that hide under stones in water, catfish flies which  most fishermen use to  catch fish.

Once Silver fish number increases in the water body, it is an added advantage to the Nile Perch because they feed on it.

However when the temperatures increase, it will affect both the fish species and the insects which the fish depend on as their food. It will also affect the water body especially in dry and rainy season.

This in the end affect the fish size in all the water bodies because during dry season, the water level will shrink and the shorelines where the fish breed will be affected.

During rainy season there will be overflow of the shorelines and this will equally affect the breeding harbor.

Effects of climate change may as well affect the quality of water due to dirty flash floods from the environment thereby increasing growth of dirty algae which affects fish quality.

There will as well be a lot of sand sediments due to run offs thereby promoting growth of weeds which affect fish stock

Productivity process 

Dr Laban Misinguzi, senior research officer under programme Capture Fisheries and Biodiversity Conservation at NaFIRRI explained that in the fish production process, his team observed that in wetlands and some rivers, there is less oxygen which is not the case in lakes.

At the sediment of water bodies, there are micro invertebrates such as lake flies which are used as bio quality control of fish breeding.

This is because absence of the invertebrates’ means there is less oxygen in the waterbody.

The lake flies lay their eggs, leave them under water and mature ones fly out of the water. The Pupa that exist under water assimilate their own oxygen.

The stone flies, leeches, mayflies are used by the scientists to determine the ecology of the water.

Therefore where there is no oxygen, the fish will not breed. It becomes a climate change issue because there will be increased methane, ammonia which causes increase in the climate causing increased green gas.

Climate variability

According to Dr Olokotum, much has not been done in terms of climate variability in water bodies in the country, the reason his team has come on board to carry out research to come up with guidelines for the fishing community.

Temperatures are moderated by the proximity to Lake Victoria, with average maximum temperatures ranging from 25°C to 30°C and minimum temperatures between 15°C and 18°C.

The scientists say there is new evidence showing that Ugandan lakes are warming faster than projected in previous studies.

Studies expanding on the 2014 findings by the same institute suggest that most of the Lake waters could evaporate by more than one third in 30 years.

While there is wide national recognition that uncontrolled exploitation of Fisheries and water resources must be reduced drastically, Dr Olokotum and his team say greater attention must be devoted to developing strategies to adapt rapidly to the warming water bodies in Uganda.

Their findings from Lake Kawi in North eastern Uganda and Wamala in central Uganda show that the water temperatures have increased by between 0.02 to 0.03degrees Celsius in the last 15 years.

Solution and recommendation

The team in their routine research activity have trained community data collection team with whom they work hand in hand.

They have used advanced technology namely electronic catch assessment survey (e- CAS) technology which they use to collect data on fish catches directly from fishermen using mobile app allowing for instant monitoring of fish stock and fish activity in the water bodies for sustainable management.

The scientists avail this information to fisheries authorities to make informed decisions regarding fishing regulations and resource conservation.

The scientists have also recommended the Country to make its own climate change predictions rather than relying on other international sources.

Others are development of conservation priority index about which water body can the country rely on most in terms of fish production.

The team is currently developing heat tolerant Tilapia fish species where they are breeding fish under drought tolerant conditions that will breed well during dry season.

At the Institute in Jinja, the scientists have installed greenhouse monitoring system which is connected to the computer and measures gasses of interest. It gives the scientists information for them to make their own climate change modelling.

Experience from landing site

The Principal fisheries officer Mayuge District Ms Sarah Nakasiba explained that her district comprises of 58 landing sites which originally were 68 but 10 have been washed away by flash floods.

Out of the existing landing site 38 are gazetted and they exist in sub counties with each having fisheries officer.

Her officer together with the fisheries officer do carry out routine sensitization to the fishing communities about best practices and governance issues including challenges arising from climate change effects.

As best practice the gill nets are required to be 5 inches and above, fishing hooks size is required to be 9 inch and below. In as far as pelagic fish is concerned, fishermen are required to use Lampara nets which 10 mill meters.

Others are fishermen paying License fee of Shs100,000 per annum and fishing permit of Shs25,000 is payable per year.

Boats targeting silver fish must comprise of 3 fishermen when on water, for the case of Nile Perch and Tilapia two fishermen are required.

The sensitizations include protection of shorelines by ensuring proper disposals practices, sanitation at the landing sites, quality in the fish processing procedure. When fish catch is low, fishermen must engage in other farming initiatives such as poultry keeping, pig and goat rearing among others