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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The fisheries development on Lake Kivu is a success story. The introduction of isambaza (Limnothrissa miodon) from Lake Tanganyika was attempted in 1958 and some 18 years later its perfect adaptation to the conditions of Lake Kivu noted. The first tentatives to exploit this virgin resource followed, both through private initiative on the Zaire portion of the lake but principally through a systematic and joint effort of the Governments of Rwanda and The Netherlands, UNDP and FAO on the Rwanda portion of the lake. This fishery, which did not exist in 1978, provides now employment to 2,868 fishermen and to even greater number of women which both treat and market production of some 3,000 tons annually.

Apart from this new fishery there has always existed the traditional one exploiting mainly the Haplochromis spp.; its growth has nevertheless also been significant over the last 12 years. It now provides employment to 3,536 additional fishermen.

To enable the authorities to take the appropriate managerial decisions it is important that the socio-economic information on the artisanal fisheries is obtained and assessed. While the growth of the Fishing Economic Units (FEU)-catamarans/trimarans has been closely monitored (Hanek and Reusens, 1987; Hanek et al., 1987; Diquelou, 1988; Lamboeuf et al., 1989; Mutamba and Mulindabigwi, 1989; Mulindabigwi and Mutamba, 1989, 1990; Mutamba, 1991) the similar information on the traditional FEU's has not been available. Consequently, an exhaustive socio-economic survey has been designed and executed during 29.06 to 30.08.1991 covering the entire Lake Kivu; the data collected form the basis of this report.

1.2 Objectives

The objectives of this study were (a) to up-date and assess the socio-economic structure of fisheries on Lake Kivu; (b) to gain an insight into the performance of all different fishing economic units on the lake in terms of the organization, investment values, occupations, status of the fishermen, their problems, etc; and (c) to benchmark data for the future assessment of this fishery evolution.

1.3 Structure of the report

The results of the study are presented in this report. It starts with executive summary which provides the summary of results and recommendations. The first chapter follows and provides a summary of the background and objectives of the survey. The second chapter contains a description of the methodology used to conduct the survey and includes: stratification of the survey area, sampling method, preparations for the study, data collection system and processing of the data.

The third, fourth and fifth chapters present the results of the study. The third chapter covers general information on the fisheries including fishing boats, fishing gear, fishing effort, production, investments and cost/benefit analysis for each type of FEU. The fourth chapter provides the socio-economic profiles of trimaran owners, trimaran crew members and traditional fishermen. The fifth and the last chapter presents information on attitudes towards fishing and details the problems encountered.

Several appendices are included and provide a copy of the questionnaire used and graphic details on each FEU composition. The questionnaire was originally developed by IFIP for a socio-economic baseline study on Lake Malawi; it has since been adapted for the Kigoma region of Lake Tanganyika and now for Lake Kivu (Leendertse and Horemans, 1991).

1.4 Background to the study program

This study was a joint effort between IFIP and Gisenyi based Fisheries Development on Lake Kivu (project UNDP/FAO-RWA/87/012). Prior to the survey the junior author of this report (KL) made a visit to Gisenyi to modify the questionnaire, to discuss and finalize the sampling strategy and to prepare program for data input. The training of interviewers, survey organisation and supervision and data coding was the responsibility of this report's senior author. The other junior author of this report (BF) contributed by providing the cost/benefit summaries for all different FEU's. The Gisenyi project also provided R/V Isambaza FAO 99, its crew, four interviewers and arranged for data input. IFIP provided the services of this report's junior author (KL) to treat the data while the actual report writing was a joint effort of the first two authors (GH and KL).

1.5 Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. D. Gréboval, IFIP Coordinator, for his close collaboration; Mr. Augustin Mutamba, survey leader and principal interviewer; Messrs. J.M.V. Semana, T. Zilimwabagabo and Kabemba Mayele, interviewers; Messrs. J.B. Nsengiyumva and T. Ruvamwabo, respectively the captain and mechanic of R/V Isambaza FAO 99; Messrs. A. Mutamba, A. Mulindabigwi and J.M.V. Semana for assisting with data coding; and to Mrs. L. Nyirabalinda for inputing the data. Finally we would like to highlight the exceptional cooperation of Lake Kivu fishermen.


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