Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization is procuring monitoring, control and surveillance equipment within ECOFISH programme, technically supported by Incatema

10 August, 2022

The procurement process to purchase this equipment is ongoing and includes buying 6 vessels, 9 motors, 60 lifejackets, 9 HD digital cameras, 6 binoculars, 6 drone cameras and 7 GPS to support effective fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance and fight illegal, unregulated unreported fisheries (IUU), with the technical support of Incatema Consulting & Engineering.

Lake Victoria is the largest tropical lake (with 68,800 Km2) and second largest freshwater lake after Lake Superior, between USA and Canada. Its waters are home to more than 200 species, including Nile tilapia and Nile perch, important to ensure riparian population’s access to animal proteins and therefore contribute to food security. To make this work, fighting illegal, unregulated and unreported fisheries is a priority, particularly in a densely populated area.

LVFO is carrying out as well a study to revise institutional working organizational frameworks. ECOFISH steering committee has offered during its past meeting strategic orientation to apply Lake Victoria Fisheries Management Plan IV (2021-2025); plan regional MCS operations; facilitate top level national political dialogue on IUU fisheries and local communities’ sensitization to fight this type of fisheries.

Fight against IUU fishing includes protecting biodiversity and defining restricted areas where fish can breed without the pressure of fishing vessels operating in them.

ECOFISH has the aim to support fisheries in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean to achieve sustainable management and improve their contribution to the blue economy, as explained here.