TWO NEW BOATS TO BE DEPLOYED IN LAKE VICTORIA BY KENYA,UGANDA AND TANZANIA TO
BOOST FISHERIES STUDIES
Fisheries News By Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.
RESEARCH program project being carried out by the three members of the East African Communities, namely Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda has received three new boats valued at USD 2 million.
The three ultra-modern vessels fitted with sophisticated research gadgets will aid scientific fisheries studies in the lake.
Under the European Union-funded Fisheries Management Plan, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute and Uganda’s National Fisheries Research Institute will each receive a new research boat fitted with an in-built laboratory, with the ability to determine fish populations, as well as the quality of waters in the Lake. The two vessels will cost USD 1.9 million.
Tanzania Fisheries Research institute will have a research vessel that it already owns refurbished and fitted with the latest equipment to improve its research capabilities. This includes fitting it with a new engine at a cost of USD 102,682.
The fisheries plan has been implemented through the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization, over the past seven years.
The project manager, Samson Abura, said the new vessels are expected to cut down on the cost and time on studies.
The three vessels also play a major role in the management of Lake Victoria as they have modern equipment for assessing fish stocks. The lake is currently grappling with dwindling fish stocks, precipitated by intense fishing pressure, as well as infiltration of illegal and destructive fishing practices, such as the increased use of unauthorized fishing nets.
The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute assistant director in charge of inland waters, Dr. Richard Abila, said that the new vessel is fitted with echo-sounders that will aid hydro-acoustic surveys that determine the quantity and distribution of fish in the lake. The surveys are conducted quarterly.
Dr. Abila explained that the equipment functions using sound waves that are sent into the water and a signal recorded when fish is detected. Scientists conduct three surveys in a year to give a representation of the fish population trends.
The research boats also have advanced facilities for analyising water quality.
Now researchers going on expeditions in the lake no longer have to carry equipment with them, nor do they have to carry samples back to laboratories as they can analyze them on board.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com