Draft Bibliography of Lake Victoria & associated freshwater systems

Lake Victoria lies between latitudes 0020'N and 3°00'5, and longitudes 31°40'E and 34°55'E. The lake is situated at an altitude of 1,134m above sea level, and has a total area of 68,800.square km. It is the largest lake in Africa, and the second largest freshwater lake in the world. Tanzania manages 51%, Uganda 43% and Kenya 6% of the entire lake surface area. The lake is highly dendritic and has a coastline of about 3,400 km that is extremely diverse and variable. Indentations to the east, deep inlets to the south, papyrus and ambatch swamps to the west, and flat, indented and forested coasts to the north typify the coastline (Acere et aI., 1989)

Fisheries Statistics for Lake Victoria, Tanzania

This research article published by Springer Nature Switzerland AG., 2017Time series fisheries statistics data mainly from Frame Surveys, Catch Assessment Surveys and Fisheries Annual Statistics Reports for Lake Victoria from 1967–2016 were collected from the Fisheries Development Division in Tanzania. These surveys and reports comprised relevant information and data on fish catches and fishing effort. The data were analysed and used to describe variations and trends in the number of fishers, number of fishing crafts, fish weight, catch per boat, total number of gillnets, beach seines, longline hooks, outboard and inboard engines. Frame Survey results showed an increasing trend in the number of fishers and fishing crafts, with the highest number of fishers and fishing crafts being 109,397 and 31,773, respectively in 2016. Longline hooks increased from 2,200,901 in 2000 to 8,163,119 hooks in 2016. In general, the catch per unit effort (CPUE) for all species was high at 39 mt/boat/year in 1967 and decreased to 8 mt/boat/year in 2014. However, CPUE for Lates niloticus has increased since the late 1980s, with the highest CPUE of 19.22 mt/boat/year being recorded in 1995, and from 2000 it decreased gradually to 7 mt/boat/year in 2014. As the fisheries statistics show an increase in fishing pressure over the years, it is evident that there is a sign of overfishing. For that matter, effective fisheries management is needed for the three riparian states to safeguard the sustainable use of fishery resources in the lake and to provide data that can be used in the evaluation of the fisheries objectives

“Because of mchango, I give my baby gripe water so he sleeps and stops crying”: Exclusive breastfeeding and parents’ concerns about colic-like symptoms in infants under 6 months in Lake Zone, Tanzania

Background Effective social and behavior change strategies for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rely on understanding how families interpret infant behavior and provide care. Little research thoroughly explores household use of non-prescribed medicine for infants under 6 months in rural Tanzania, which can interrupt EBF and may have other harmful unintended effects. Aim To explore parents’ use of non-prescribed medicine in response to infants’ colic-like symptoms during the EBF period. Methods We conducted thematic analysis of a series of qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 36 mothers and 30 fathers of infants 0-6 months in Lake Zone, Tanzania. Here, we focus on emergent themes related to concerns about colic-like symptoms and global implications for public health practitioners. Results Parents reported concerns about excessive crying and perceived infant abdominal pain, attributed to a potentially serious disease state locally known as mchango. Most parents gave non-prescribed medicines (e.g. gripe water, oral traditional medicine, and/or other commercial medicines) to treat or prevent mchango and associated symptoms, often including infant crying. After receiving supportive counselling on soothing techniques, most were willing to avoid giving non-prescribed medicines. Some reported continued challenges attributed to mchango symptoms, namely inconsolable crying. Conclusion While symptoms of mchango reported in this study overlapped with colic symptoms, literature in Tanzania suggests, in some cases, mchango is perceived to have spiritual origins and potentially be dangerous if left untreated. Empathetic counseling can offer parents knowledge and skills to manage colic-like symptoms without using non-prescribed medicines. Health workers need clear messages and training on risks of non-prescribed medicines and Tanzanian legislation banning its promotion and distribution

Status of the Major Commercial Fish Stocks and Proposed Species-specific Management Plans for Lake Victoria

The fishery of Lake Victoria is dominated by four species, the introduced Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and Nile tilapia, (Oreochromis niloticus), the native dagaa, (Rastrineobola argentea) and haplochromines. Recently, there has been a concern about the state of these fish stocks and their current status is reviewed by examining trends in biomass, catch, catch per unit efforts and biological indicators. The Cadima model was used to predict the MSY of Nile perch and dagaa and the Nile perch was shown to be under intense fishing pressure. The biomass has considerably reduced with catches being higher than the predicted MSY. In contrast, the dagaa fishery was well below the predicted MSY and there is still scope for expansion. The fishery for Nile tilapia is also under pressure as a result of increased fishing effort and illegality, but little is known about the haplochromines. The current status of the fisheries threatens the benefits which the lake has been providing for decades and it is recommended that management options outlined in this paper are implemented to avoid the collapse of the fisheries.Keywords: Lake Victoria, biomass, Nile perch, Rastrineobola, recovery plan, species specific management plan*Paper presented to the Lake Victoria Stakeholder’s Conference, Kampala, 27-30 October 200

Empowering farmers? Collaborative research at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

Development in Practice, 2015; 25 (3): 347–359This article presents experiences with collaborative and on-farm research based on the implementation of a four-year Programme for Agricultural and Natural Resources Transformation for Improved Livelihoods (PANTIL) at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania. It outlines the basic elements in the implementation of a programme aimed to be demand-based, and discusses the challenges encountered in combining collaborative research with the empowerment of farmers. Finally, the article draws out some lessons with implications for the future organisation of collaborative and on-farm agricultural research. Cet article présente des expériences de recherches menées en collaboration et au sein même d’exploitations agricoles, basées sur la mise en oeuvre d’un programme de quatre ans, le Programme for Agricultural and Natural Resources Transformation for Improved Livelihoods (PANTIL - Programme pour la transformation des ressources agricoles et naturelles pour des moyens de subsistance améliorés) à la Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) de Morogoro, en Tanzanie. Il présente les éléments de base de la mise en oeuvre d’un programme visant à être fondé sur la demande et traite des défis rencontrés au moment de conjuguer les recherches collaboratives et l’autonomisation des agriculteurs. Enfin, cet article tire quelques enseignements ayant des implications pour l’organisation future de recherches agricoles menées en collaboration et au sein des exploitations. El presente artículo examina las experiencias surgidas de una investigación colaborativa realizada en parcelas agrícolas. La misma se basó en la implementación del Programa para la Transformación de la Agricultura y de los Recursos Naturales para el Mejoramiento de los Medios de Vida (PANTIL, por sus siglas en inglés), vinculado a la Universidad Sokoine de Agricultura de Morogoro, Tanzania, a lo largo de cuatro años. El artículo resume los elementos principales requeridos para impulsar un programa basado en la demanda, examinando los retos que debieron enfrentarse para combinar la investigación colaborativa y el empoderamiento de los productores. A manera de conclusión, el artículo esboza algunos de los aprendizajes obtenidos, los cuales tienen implicaciones para la organización de futuras investigaciones colaborativas que se realicen en parcelas agrícola

Mind the gaps for the best practices: Enhancing the management of Lake Victoria fisheries resources

Fisheries resources face a confluence of socio-ecological challenges, the resolution of which requires interdisciplinary scientific information for sustainable utilization and management. The present study assessed gaps and challenges in Lake Victoria fisheries resources management for better research focus, policy formulation and improved governance of the fishery towards sustainability. Using key informant interviews and a plenary discussion with trans-disciplinary experts regarding Lake Victoria fisheries research, management and policy sectors, the present study identified current management challenges, gaps and priorities. The present study results indicate a constantly increasing fishing effort, poor enforcement of existing regulations and pollution and invasive weeds pose the greatest threats to the sustainability of Lake Victoria\u27s fisheries resources. Policy gaps include a lack of regulations on emerging technologies (e.g. cage culture) and an absence of implementation guidelines and framework for some existing policies. The aspects and gaps of each challenge are discussed, using available literature for the lake, with policy and capacity interventions recommended under each section for sustainable management of Lake Victoria fisheries resources

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

Most small-scale inland fisheries in the Global South prohibit fishing gear with smaller meshes than is legally permitted. Nonetheless, in most instances, this is not strictly enforced. But starting in 2017, Uganda and Tanzania ramped up enforcement on Lake Victoria. We used time series hydro-acoustic data to determine whether the strict enforcement achieved the management goal of increased biomass (t) of commercial species and an increase in the biomass of big Nile perch (>50 cm). The biomass for 2018–2021 (under strict enforcement) was expected to be greater than in 2007–2017 (prior to strict enforcement). The biomass of key species fluctuated annually, but no spatial or temporal differences in biomass associated with strict enforcement were evident. Similarly, the biomass of big Nile perch did not increase. Our findings suggest that mesh sizes may have limited influence on fish biomass dynamics in Lake Victoria, and that high primary productivity of the lake, high turnover rates of fish species, and limited compliance by fishers likely counteract the effects of high fishing effort on biomass and size structure of fish. Therefore, the high cost of strict top-down enforcement and the societal cost of lost lives, jobs, and livelihoods may not be justified