Residents from Rutsiro and Karongi districts have called for more investments in fish farming and eradication of the illegal fishing that affects sardine fish (Isambaza) production in Lake Kivu. The call was made as Liberty Party (PL) moved its campaign to Western Province, explaining its five-year manifesto of which agriculture and livestock development features. ALSO READ: Rwanda Decides: 12 key pledges in Liberal Party’s five year manifesto The party’s latest campaign took place at Mbonwa playground in Rubengera sector of Karongi District. The party which has 54 parliamentary aspirants is backing RPF-Inkotanyi's candidate, incumbent President Paul Kagame, in the presidential race. When you go to market, you realize that sardine production and other fish species are still expensive because fish production is not good in Lake Kivu, said Claudine Mavugo, a resident of Rubengera Sector in Karongi District. Claver Semanywa, a resident of Rutsiro District, said that illegal fishing nets are still affecting sardine fish production. We need measures and advocacy to push and eradicate illegal fishing in Lake Kivu. We also need support to invest in fish farming through cages instead of depending on sardine fishing. Such investments could increase jobs among the youth and women, he said. ALSO: Govt moves to address shortage of professionals in aquaculture The call to address threats to fish produce is timely given that, for instance, over 30,000 illegal fishing nets and about 3,000 boats were confiscated in Lake Kivu within only three years in the districts of Rubavu, Rutsiro, Karongi, Nyamasheke and Rusizi. Kaningini and mosquito fishing nets have an impact on sardine (Isambaza) fish production. Sardines (Limnothrissa miodon locally known as Isambaza) decreased in some units on Lake Kivu which didn’t reduce total fish production in general. Sardine fish comprises 70 per cent of fish from Lake Kivu making a case for special conservation of the Lake. ALSO READ: MPs push for law enforcement against encroachment on water bodies Total fish produced from Lake Kivu amounts to over 70 per cent of total fish production in Rwanda. Increasing fish production in Lake Kivu could help achieve national targets. Producing 112,000 tonnes by 2024 per year could help Rwanda attain the average sub-Sahara per capita consumption of 6.6 kilogrammes per person per annum, and 265,600 metric tons to reach the global average of 16.6 kilogrammes from the current per capita fish consumption which is at 2.3 kilogrammes per person per year. Former lawmaker Theogene Munyangeyo who is Liberal Party's first vice president reiterated that environmental protection and agricultural development are part of their manifesto. Lake Kivu has a great economic importance to the population. That is why illegal fishing must be combatted. We need to increase education about the effects of illegal fishing in Lake Kivu. We should have TVET centres that teach about fishing and effects of illegal fishing nets. Environment protection including lake conservation should be at the heart of whatever we do. There is need for investing in fishing nets that do not affect sardine reproduction, he said. With its manifesto, PL has pledged to ensure that laws severely punish environment polluters, and increase education on protection of water bodies such as lakes that provide fish produce. An investigation by Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) between December 2023 and January 2024 revealed that construction and agriculture projects, as well as waste discharge, are polluting four major lakes in Rwanda. The lakes are Lake Kivu in Western Province, the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo in Northern Province, and Lake Muhazi in Eastern Province. According to inspectors, polluting these lakes could endanger biodiversity and the economic significance they hold for the local population. Sardine production in Lake Kivu fluctuates between 300 to 500 tonnes per week.
