Abstract:
Lake Albert is one of the largest lake in uganda that still supports a multi-species fishery which
as a result of variable adult sizes of the species,. causes management challenges especially in
relation to gear mesh size enforncement . Prior to the 1980s, am sized fishes especially Citharinus
to inshore habitats of the lake and were ; s rapidly over fished.
surveys conducted in this study revealed dominance of su- were 17 large
were assessmentSish species (Ncobola
bredoi and Brycinus nurse) and a 40 - 60% decrease in ihc contribution of the large commercial
species. Sustainability of small size fish species is uncertain due to season;?Htictuadons and low
beach value. At about 150,000 tons of fish recorded from Lake Albert and Albert Nile, the beach
value was estimated at 55.3 million USD. Despite the noted decline in catches of the large sized
fishes their contribution was more than 50% of total beach value. Therefore, management
measures should couple value addition for tlic small sized species and maintain effort regulation
targeting recovery of the large previously important commercial species