Abstract:

Source of the Nile Fish farm (SON) is located at Bugungu area in Napoleon Gulf, northern Lake Victoria. The proprietors of the farm requested for technical assistance of NaFIRRI to undertake regular environment monitoring of the cage site as is mandatory under the NEMA conditions. As the SON is a key collaborator/client of the institute, NAFIRRI agreed to undertake the assignment subject to facilitation by the client. The institute agreed to conduct quarterly surveys of key environmental parameters at the site including selected physical-chemical and biological factors, nutrient status, column depth, water transparency and sedimentation. Samples and field measurements were to be taken at 3 sites: within and/or close to the fish cages, upstream and downstream of the cages.

The first environmental survey was undertaken in February 2011. The survey covered physical- chemical parameters (Water depth, water transparency, water column temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity), nutrient status, algal and invertebrate communities (algae, micro- invertebrates/zooplankton and macro-invertebrates/macro-benthos) and the fish community.
This report presents the field observations made and provides a scientific interpretation and discussion of the results with reference to possible impacts of the cage facilities to the water environment and the different aquatic biota at and around the cage site including natural fish communities.