Upcountry insight: PAIGELAC officials call for protection of lake environment

EASTERN PROVINCE Officials of the fishing project-Projet d’Amenagement Integre et á la Gestion des Lacs Interieurs (PAIGELAC) are calling on respective districts bordering the lakes to protect their surrounding environment. Gregoire Dusabyezu, coordinator of PAIGELAC, made the announcement during a recent two-day meeting in Rwamagana that brought together heads of fishing associations and cooperatives and other stakeholders. “The project PAIGELAC is charged with overseeing that the lakes environment is safe; it makes sure that activities carried out along the lakes do not antagonize the lakes’ environment. We therefore invited representatives of all fishing associations and cooperatives, representatives of women associations, agricultural officers and other stake holders to enlighten them about the importance protecting the lakes’ environment,” Dusabyezu said. During the meeting participants were also trained on environmental laws, tendering procedures for construction of terraces, and removal of water hyacinths. PAIGELAC, a project of Ministry of Agriculture, started in 2006 and has a six-year mandate. The project is sponsored by African Development Bank (ADB). The project trains residents living on or near lakes to protect lake resources and practice terracing near the hills surrounding the lakes. With the help of funds from ADB, PAIGELAC helps with building terraces and water hyacinth removal. It also trains fishers and encourage hem to form associations and cooperatives in order to do their work professionally. Additionally, PAIGELAC also helps in the harvesting fish, marketing and sale of fish. Jean Claude Ndorimana, a technician for the project charged with overseeing fishing along Lake Muhazi, said that the introduction of the PAIGELAC project has improved fishing. “By the time PAIGELAC arrived on Lake Muhazi, 12 associations fishing there but doing it unprofessionally. We helped them to form a cooperative – the Cooperative pour Amenagement et la Valorization du lac Muhazi (COAVLM) – which is doing well now,” Ndorimana said. He explained that small association practiced random harvesting for selfish gains and ended up catching small and young fishes, which can quickly lead to extinction of the lake’s fish. To combat this PAIGELAC has introduced a uniform four-inch-trap that can only catch older fish. Ndorimana expressed concern over selfish economic and agricultural activities carried along Lake Muhazi, saying they are dangerous to the lake’s environment. For example, farmers in Gasabo district cultivate up to the edge of the lake, despite the fact Rwandan environmental law requires fishermen maintain a distance of 50 meters from shore. Habimfura Munyarugero, president of COAVLM, acknowledged that with the help of PAIGELAC fishing along Lake Muhazi has started improving, but also calls for more efforts in the improvement of the lake’s environment. COAVLM is a cooperative of fishers from Gatsibo, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Gicumbi and Gasabo districts that have catchments area for Lake Muhazi. Munyarugero however, complains of fishers who have not joined the cooperative saying they threaten the activity. He calls on concerted efforts of all cooperative members together with local leaders and police to help in tracking down unauthorized fishers. According to Munyarugero, COAVLM is fishing professionally and has earned up to four million francs. He says members now have hope for the future as the cooperative looks to invest further, including buying more modern boats for transport and improve members’ living conditions. Munyarugero says there are still many challenges facing the fishing industry in Rwanda, including lack of knowledge in sustainable fishing techniques. He says fishing is under-noticed in the country, but still can help the economy to prosper once it is improved. “Fishing is an economic activity that can lead to the development of fishers as well as the nation,” he stated. Ends