Abstract:

Mukene is found in Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Nabugabo and in the Victoria Nile. It is among the three most important commercial fish species in Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. The fish is a cheap source of fish proteins for both humans and domestic animals. In the lakes, the species is important as food to the Nile perch, the most important export fish in the country. Mukene is fished by light attraction. Combared to gillnetting, light fishing is relatively new in Uganda. Kerosene pressure lamps are floated on water attracting fishes to light. Mukene thus attracted, is fished out using scoop-nets and nets pulled from the shores (beach seines) and from canoes (lampara nets) Mukene, being a small fish (grows to an average standard length of 48mm)1 the nets used in fishing are of meshes 3, 5 and10 mm stretched.