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 NaFIRRI to provide technical assistance to undertake regular environment monitoring of the cage site as a mandatory requirement under the NEMA conditions. NAFIRRI agreed to undertake regular environment surveys in the cage area covering selected physical-chemical factors i.e. water column depth, water transparency, water column temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, nutrient status, algal and invertebrate communities (micro-invertebrates/zooplankton and macro-invertebrates/macro-benthos) as well as fish community. The first year-round quarterly surveys were completed for the year 2011. For the year 2012, SON management decided to change the frequency of the surveys from quarterly to biannual and the first such survey, was undertaken in June 2012. The second survey was undertaken in December 2012 and is the subject of this report. Results/observations made are presented in this technical report along with a scientific interpretation and discussion of the results with reference to possible impacts of the cage facilities to the water environment and aquatic biota