Fishermen on Lake Kivu in Karongi   District have expressed concerns over the decline in fish stocks and lack of means to promote cage fish farming to increase  production.

They claim that some people were using illegal fishing nets which trap fish larvae and eggs, leaving the fishing  community susceptible to losing a major source of livelihood.

The situation, they say, has been compounded with the growing demand for fish in the country that has surpassed  the supply. At least 112,000 tonnes of fish is needed per year,  compared to current production of 27,000 tonnes.

According to Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), the country imports 15,000 tonnes of fish per year. The country has the lowest per capita fish consumption in East Africa and the Sub-Saharan region, with 2.3kg  to 2.5kg per year. Other East African countries consume between four to five kilogrammes, while on average other Sub-Saharan countries stands at 6.7kg.

Fishermen in Karongi are grouped in six cooperatives, with 138 registered members. The cooperatives are members of UCOPEVEKA, a union of fishermen.

Among the common fish species in Lake Kivu include; Limnothrissa miodoe or Sardines (Isambaza), Haplochromis (Indugu) and Tilapia.

Celestin Simparinka, the president of UCOPEVEKA, said it is also likely that smaller  fish species could be preyed on by larger fish, leading to a  decline in their population.

"But there is need for more research to ascertain the real underlying factor for the decline,” he said.

Simparinka said since 2011, when their union got accreditation, fishermen had benefited a lot, explaining that market for the fish was guaranteed through Kibuye Fishing Project, which works closely with them.

"By working in cooperatives, the fishermen observe a two-month moratorium on fishing activities in the lake to allow the fish to multiply. It is often during that time that illegal fishermen get active,” he explained.

The fishermen also called on the Government to help them curb illegal fishing, and to help them introduce more  adaptive fish species in the lake to boost production

They also suggested promoting cage fish farming, but cited lack of resources to afford the technology.

They claim that when they take illegal fishermen to the Police, they are often set free on grounds that there is no law against ‘fish poaching’.

However, Dr Wilson Rutaganira, the programme coordinator of aquaculture and fisheries at RAB, said the issue would soon be addressed as efforts are underway to amend the Penal Code.

Fishermen contend that between 2003 and 2010, one could catch between 80kg and 200kg of fish per day, unlike the current 25kg. A fisherman earns between Rwf1,150 and Rwf1,650 for a kilogramme of Sardine (Isambaza).

Sibomana explained that tilapia in Lake Victoria weighs about 50kg, while  the Tilapia Nilotica species introduced in Lake Kivu in 2012 weighs a dismal 350 grammes. 

Rutaganira said although the Kivu waters do not have enough natural nutrients for tilapia, it has the capacity to produce a million tonnes of tilapia per year. 

He urged fishermen to invest more in their trade, saying it was a lucrative business.

"Fishermen can even get loans from banks and other financial institutions and invest in fish production, mainly through the use of cages,” Rutaganira said, adding that they were sensitising communities living around Lake Kivu to embrace the business.

He said, in line with promoting cage fish farming in deep water lakes such as Kivu, Burera and Ruhondo, and parts of Muhazi, they were encouraging investors to set up feed factories.

Rutaganira said a factory with capacity to produce five tonnes of fish feed per day will be set up before the year ends.

"We need to increase the current fish production by five-fold and this requires halting fishing malpractices, including poaching, use of illegal nets, fishing in the areas where fish reproduce and availing enough fish feed,” Rutaganira said.