National Agricultural Research Organisation. Fisheries Resources Research Institute Annual Report 2002/2003

One of the avenues through which the Government objective of povertyeradication in Uganda can be achieved is Fisheries development andmanagement. Up to 20% of Uganda’s surface area is covered by aquaticsystems i.e. lakes, rivers, streams and swamps and to a large extent, all theseare interconnected. The large lakes: Victoria, Albert, Kyoga, George and Edwardare sites of the more important commercial fisheries, but even the smaller waterbodies, rivers (e.g. the Rivers Nile and Kagera) and the surrounding swampsprovide sources of livelihood to rural areas.Fish is an important source of high quality food, employment revenue and iscurrently the second most important export commodity next to coffee generatingapproximately US $ 80 million annually. Fish exports to regional markets areworth at least US $ 20 million annually. Fish flesh is rich in proteins, which aresuperior to those of beef and poultry. Fish flesh contains an anticholesterolwhich assists in reducing heart diseases. Some fishes are of medicinal valuee.g. haplochromines (Nkejje) are used to treat measles. Most of the fish inUganda is got from lakes Victoria, Kyoga, Albert and Albert Nile, Edward andGeorge production systems as well as from the 160 minor lakes and rivers andthe associated wetland systems. Capture fisheries based in these systemscontribute up to 99% of the fish production in Uganda but aquaculture is alsopicking up. The fishing industry employs up to one million Ugandans

Bibliographic Details

Other Authors:	Fisheries Resources Research Institute
Format:	monograph biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	Fisheries Resources Research Institute 2003
Subjects:	Fisheries,
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/1834/32753
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