162
P. Onyango and S. Jentoft
(Okeyo-Owuor 1999 ) . Okeyo-Owuor ( 1999 , 10) argues that “the rate of evolution
and speciation of the fi shes of the Great Lakes of East Africa warrant the use of
the terms such as ‘evolutionary avalanche, explosive evolution and explosive
speciation.” Numerous species have been recorded; Johnson et al. ( 2000 ) indicate
that over 400 endemic species of cichlids occupied the Lake after the Pleistocene
period. According to these researchers this can be explained as follows: a few species of cichlids and other fi sh species swam out of their fl uvial refuges to colonize
the new Lake, generating hundreds of new species.
Until the 1980s, the Lake was dominated by endemic fi sh species (cichlids),
mainly Haplochromines species and two tilapiine species – a Tilapia ( Oreochromis
esculentus , Cichlidae) known in Tanzania as Ngege, Sato or Perege, and another
Tilapia species ( O. variabilis, Cichlidae) known as Mbiru (Ligtvoet et al. 1995 ) .
The Lake also played host to fi sh species other than cichlids (Graham 1929 ). In
1950s, fi sh species like the Nile tilapia ( O. niloticus, Cichlidae) and Nile perch
( Lates niloticus , Latidae) were introduced. The Lake also contained sardine
( Rastreneobola argentea , Clupidea), known locally as Dagaa.
The high diversity implies complex trophic relations in the food web (OkeyoOwuor 1999 ) . Moreover, the vast number of species and rapid speciation observed
have also presented a dynamic scenario that, given the amount of information
required in order to fully understand the system, poses a great challenge for governing poverty. For instance, governors have faced dif fi culty in designing management
systems for different species of fi sh. Fisheries management in the Lake has basically
taken a more uniform character; mesh size and slot size regulations, boat size and
closed areas have been formulated on the basis of the Nile perch, Tilapia and Dagaa
fi sheries, regardless of the presence of other species.
Social System
In Lake Victoria, the social fi sheries system-to-be-governed consists mainly of
fi shers, fi sh processors and traders of Nile perch, Tilapia and Dagaa. Although
fi shers constitute the largest number of coastal residents in the Lake Victoria region,
they have not been the face of the Lake’s fi sheries, especially when it comes to
small-scale fi shing communities to describing the livelihood impact of the Lake’s
lucrative fi sheries. The local systems-to-be-governed are comprised of a diversity
of stakeholders, including fi shers, boat makers and repairers, fi shing gear makers
and repairers. The stories about successes in the fi sheries have been dominated by
the life of fi sh processing factory agents, their housing and material possession
( www.invisiblepossibilities.com ). In addition, the sudden construction of ultramodern of fi ce and hotel buildings in major Lake cities like Mwanza, Musoma and
Bukoba have been used to further elevate the success story about the Lake’s
fi sheries. Poverty alleviation governors are faced with the dif fi culty of understanding why small-scale fi shers in communities like Nyakasenge and Kasheno cannot
address their poverty, when others who depend on the Lake’s fi sheries have made
such lucrative steps.
P. Onyango and S. Jentoft
(Okeyo-Owuor 1999 ) . Okeyo-Owuor ( 1999 , 10) argues that “the rate of evolution
and speciation of the fi shes of the Great Lakes of East Africa warrant the use of
the terms such as ‘evolutionary avalanche, explosive evolution and explosive
speciation.” Numerous species have been recorded; Johnson et al. ( 2000 ) indicate
that over 400 endemic species of cichlids occupied the Lake after the Pleistocene
period. According to these researchers this can be explained as follows: a few species of cichlids and other fi sh species swam out of their fl uvial refuges to colonize
the new Lake, generating hundreds of new species.
Until the 1980s, the Lake was dominated by endemic fi sh species (cichlids),
mainly Haplochromines species and two tilapiine species – a Tilapia ( Oreochromis
esculentus , Cichlidae) known in Tanzania as Ngege, Sato or Perege, and another
Tilapia species ( O. variabilis, Cichlidae) known as Mbiru (Ligtvoet et al. 1995 ) .
The Lake also played host to fi sh species other than cichlids (Graham 1929 ). In
1950s, fi sh species like the Nile tilapia ( O. niloticus, Cichlidae) and Nile perch
( Lates niloticus , Latidae) were introduced. The Lake also contained sardine
( Rastreneobola argentea , Clupidea), known locally as Dagaa.
The high diversity implies complex trophic relations in the food web (OkeyoOwuor 1999 ) . Moreover, the vast number of species and rapid speciation observed
have also presented a dynamic scenario that, given the amount of information
required in order to fully understand the system, poses a great challenge for governing poverty. For instance, governors have faced dif fi culty in designing management
systems for different species of fi sh. Fisheries management in the Lake has basically
taken a more uniform character; mesh size and slot size regulations, boat size and
closed areas have been formulated on the basis of the Nile perch, Tilapia and Dagaa
fi sheries, regardless of the presence of other species.
Social System
In Lake Victoria, the social fi sheries system-to-be-governed consists mainly of
fi shers, fi sh processors and traders of Nile perch, Tilapia and Dagaa. Although
fi shers constitute the largest number of coastal residents in the Lake Victoria region,
they have not been the face of the Lake’s fi sheries, especially when it comes to
small-scale fi shing communities to describing the livelihood impact of the Lake’s
lucrative fi sheries. The local systems-to-be-governed are comprised of a diversity
of stakeholders, including fi shers, boat makers and repairers, fi shing gear makers
and repairers. The stories about successes in the fi sheries have been dominated by
the life of fi sh processing factory agents, their housing and material possession
( www.invisiblepossibilities.com ). In addition, the sudden construction of ultramodern of fi ce and hotel buildings in major Lake cities like Mwanza, Musoma and
Bukoba have been used to further elevate the success story about the Lake’s
fi sheries. Poverty alleviation governors are faced with the dif fi culty of understanding why small-scale fi shers in communities like Nyakasenge and Kasheno cannot
address their poverty, when others who depend on the Lake’s fi sheries have made
such lucrative steps.