Co-management with Uganda Fisheries and Fish Conservation Association (UFFCA)

 

 

The organization and local perspectives on conservation and stewardship

 

UFFCA is a nation-wide development and advocacy NGO operating around Uganda’s Lakes Victoria, Albert, Kyoga, Edward and George, and rivers (Semiliki, Albert Nile, Nzio, Victoria Nile and Kagera). The organization was founded in 1914, with an aim to mobilize and organize men, women, and youth in fishing community across the country, who are engaged in small-scale fish harvesting, artisanal fish processing and marketing, for sustainable fisheries and development. The organization plays a major role in rural development and in decentralization and fisheries governance reforms as facilitators, power-brokers or mediators between fishing communities and government and its agencies. Since 2002, with the introduction of a co-management system in Uganda, the organization has supported and facilitated processes in fishing communities geared towards developing their participation in co-management. UFFCA has implemented a number of projects across Lakes; Victoria and Albert aimed at building the opportunity, capacity and responsibility of fishing communities to make decisions on the management of the fisheries resources their livelihood depends on. Such projects have also included strategies on economic development, general community development and institutional development of Beach Management Units (BMUs). UFFCA has put emphasis on policy analysis, and undertaking advocacy and campaign actions for policy reforms and coherence.

 

Environmental conservation and stewardship play a crucial role in enhancing incomes, food and nutritional security, environmental sustainability and increased employment opportunities for fishing populations. Fisheries contribute directly to high quality food and indirectly through incomes and livelihoods to fishing communities. Ecosystem goods and services as well contribute to their improved socio-economic status. In Uganda, the difficulty in undertaking environmental conservation and stewardship activities is that communities and their organizations perceive environmental conservation and stewardship as being solely a government undertaking or responsibility. Lack of knowledge on environmental conservation and stewardship very often constrains their participation and willingness to take responsibility.

 

Stewardship experience: Co-management, decentralized fishery governance, awareness raising about destructive fishing practices

 

The issue or problem being addressed

Lakes Victoria and Albert fish stocks are declining coupled with environmental degradation.

 

Ggaba and Port Bell fish landing sites, near Kampala city (central Uganda region), are situated along Murchison Bay and Gulf. About 200 small-scale fishers and their households, in two fish landing sites of Ggaba and Port Bell, face severe problems to maintain their livelihood. The bays are severely polluted, heavily overfished and ecologically degraded. The bays are also surrounded by heavily populated urbanized areas with approximately 500,000 people living within 1 km around its shoreline. Indeed, most case studies featured in the literature are set in more isolated locations like islands and rural villages. Yet, a distinct advantage of Ggaba and Port Bell for community-based resource management and development is the relative absence of non-fisherfolk shoreline resource users.

 

Similarly, around Lake Albert, in Butiaba, Bugoigo and Wanseko fishing villages, the resource base from which fishing communities derive their livelihoods has been threatened by increasing encroachment, overfishing or over-exploitation, declining fish stocks, leading to poor fish catches and environmental degradation. This has resulted in alarming levels of poverty and food/nutritional insecurity and increasing joblessness. The current level of the catch obtained by fishers cannot provide a viable income.

 

The conservation/stewardship activities

Because of local population increase and free entry to fishing, the continued pressure on the resources has been left unharnessed. In conditions of increasing population density and fishery resource scarcity coupled with open and free access to fisheries, in the absence of control measures, there has been intensification of fishing effort through increased inputs and improved fish production methods, and resource and environmental degradation due to overfishing. To address these, generation of awareness about the long-term benefits of environment conservation – resource conservation and management (e.g. against destructive fishing methods and gears, environmental protection) through education, information dissemination and training have been undertaken.

 

The first phase in the of the process of development of co-management institutions, as it occurred in Uganda, started with the social preparation (community mobilization and organizing) which was preceded by resource management planning and organizational capacity development, followed by establishment of the co-management system, followed by the implementation of the management measures and finally, the development of non-fishing livelihood activities for groups.

 

 

The benefits/impacts including sustainability/environmental effects

The development of co-management in Uganda in 2000, was in itself the central government’s demonstration of willingness to change policy, with the involvement of fishing community members in the preparation of policy/laws, define roles and responsibilities of organizations and thereafter devolving power to local agencies including local governments and community organizations.

There is a noted improvement, but still significant progress to be made to empower communities in order for them to participate effectively and for ensuring sustained involvement, through genuine sharing of power between government and resource users in policy development and decision-making. Similarly, the government can improve its recognition of the competence of women fish harvesters and fishers since they were not currently allowed to form their own institutions (rather than take part in government sponsored ones) and developing their own rules, subject to any legislation or policy specifying the extent to which such rules could be developed in the face of other national government policies and legislation. Some impacts have been in terms of lessened conflicts, increased social cohesion, more independent communities, and economic and social gains that will accrue from healthy fisheries resources, as well as increased nutrition and health.

 

The success and significance of the activities

We feel strongly that more secure, less vulnerable fisherfolk have more incentives to participate in saving fish stocks and therefore make more effective and motivated fishery managers in the context of participatory or rights-based fisheries governance. So, by strengthening their rights of access to and ownership of the resource would improve their contribution to poverty reduction, and rebuild and sustain the fisheries so that they contribute more to wealth creation and economic growth.

 

Some lessons learned or words of wisdom

The issue of sustainability is very important when planning for long-term management of the fisheries resources.

Strong community organizations are needed which are capable of implementing resource management and supported by appropriate policies. Constituency building is very vital when initiating management actions that will need community support. Community organizations will always need a certain minimum recognition and consensus among the community to carry out a (implicit or explicit) community-wide mandate to take the lead in fisheries management. The organization should be able to represent, directly or in association, at least 70% and above of the fisherfolk in a given locality.

 

Had government devolved authority it would have secured better ecological, social and economic outcomes. Fisherfolk would have benefited by participating in all management decisions that affect their welfare, and government would have become more effective and efficient through establishing genuine collaborative relationships with local stakeholders. Potentially damaging conflicts, poverty and resource degradation could be better avoided/mitigated with local knowledge and participation. This project provides an opportunity to learn from these problems, adapt approaches taken, and to enjoy more significant outcomes.

 

 

 

For more information on this organization, click here to open ‘UFFCA Organizational Profile’ (word document), in a new tab.

 

 

                           

 

 

 

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Fishery Facts

(Below are the applicable categories of fisheries, environment, species, gear type and livelihood role.)

 

Fishery characteristics:

• Inland capture fishery (e.g. river/ lake/ reservoir)
• Commercial fishery
• Multi-species

The environment where fishing takes place: 

• Freshwater – riverine / lake / wetland / reservoir
• Nearby areas – Urban areas (coastal)

Main species targeted:

• Inland finfish – e.g. carp/perch/catfish/salmonids

Gear types/ methods used:

• Gillnet
• Longline
• Line
• Beach seine
• Pot/trap
• Beach harvest/ gleaning (e.g. collection of shellfish/algae/mangrove crabs etc.)

Role of the fishery in local livelihoods:

• Main source of employment
• Full time