Conservation Fishing in Lake Victoria: Can Losers be Guardians of Fisheries Resources?

Abstract

This paper analyzes the way in which the Lakeside communities which are victims of the transformed fishing industry in Lake Victoria, can also be guardians of the fisheries resources. The study was conducted in Kishanje and Rubafu villages in Bukoba Rural District. The data was collected from 232 individual respondents and two focus group discussions each comprised 10 participants. The results indicated that community members in the Lakeside communities perceived illegal fishing as non-existing phenomenon among them. What they see is their traditional way of fishing and the ongoing conservation campaigns are instituted to infringe upon their life system and alienate them from their bounty Mother Nature. They recognized the fisheries resources management measures as the means to safeguard the interest of the investors. From this understanding, the study revealed that the community members including the leaders entrusted to reinforce the resources management measures were not in a position to stand against illegal fishing as it was intended by the government. This study, therefore, concludes that, the losers cannot be guardians of fisheries resources, unless their socioeconomic needs are taken as part and parcel in the fisheries resources management plan.