A Kenyan senator urged East African nations on Thursday to coordinate management of shared waters after visiting Uganda's fisheries research center. David Wakoli Wafula informed officials at the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute in Kajjansi that pollution and inadequate oversight pose a threat to profitable fishing operations in Lake Victoria and other bordering waterways.
Kenya transformed beach groups into cooperatives that help fishermen buy boats and operate cage farms, Wafula said. His committee met with fishing communities in Busia County three weeks prior to the Uganda trip to assess industry-related problems. He praised Ugandan innovations in fish smoking equipment and feed production that could benefit Kenyan businesses.
Uganda produces 650,000 tons of fish annually, generating 442 billion shillings in domestic revenue and $177 million in exports. The industry employs 1.5 million people, with wild catches accounting for 81.5 percent of the output and farms supplying the remainder. National policy aims to raise annual production to 1.7 million tons.
Kenya transformed beach groups into cooperatives that help fishermen buy boats and operate cage farms, Wafula said. His committee met with fishing communities in Busia County three weeks prior to the Uganda trip to assess industry-related problems. He praised Ugandan innovations in fish smoking equipment and feed production that could benefit Kenyan businesses.
Uganda produces 650,000 tons of fish annually, generating 442 billion shillings in domestic revenue and $177 million in exports. The industry employs 1.5 million people, with wild catches accounting for 81.5 percent of the output and farms supplying the remainder. National policy aims to raise annual production to 1.7 million tons.
