Abstract:

The review report on Kyoga basin lakes (NAFIRRI 2007) described Kyoga basin lakes as important natural resource for the communities within the basin and the surrounding areas. Fisheries of the basin provide a source of protein, income, and employment to generally poor communities in the area. The lakes also generate revenue to the local Governments within the catchment. This indicates that the fisheries of Kyoga basin lakes are a key instrument in poverty eradication and food security. The lakes also act as a source of water for domestic, agricultural and transport purposes. Some of the Kyoga small lakes harbour fish species, which have disappeared from the main lakes Victoria and Kyoga and are therefore important for biodiversity conservation. However, there is concern that the fish stocks of these basin lakes are declining and may not be enough to meet the increasing demand. Stock enhancement of some of the Kyoga basin lakes was therefore proposed as one of the solutions to ensure sustainability of the fisheries resources of these lakes. Therefore, an assessment of the prevailing environmental quality is important for the exercise. The review was based on lakes Kyoga main, Kwania, Nawampasa, Kimira, Gigati, Bisina, Nyaguo, Agu, Opeta and Nabisojjo. On environmental quality of the lakes, it was noted that most data for the lakes were inconsistent and did not reflect the seasonality. The little information available was for a few lakes e.g. Lemwa, Kawi and Gigati. Also the information is “grey literature”, i.e. not published. It was therefore necessary for NAFIRRI to establish the environmental quality status of the selected lakes in order to guide in restocking of fish in some of the small lakes.