Rwanda | Nyamasheke: Lake Kivu fishing activity closure affects majority

The Western Province Administration in cooperation with the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) decided to stop fishing activities in Lake Kivu with effect from 29^th.July.2012 to 2^nd.Oct.2012; a choice that will affect the economy of many people who depended on the Business.

Though fishermen and fish traders from Lake Kivu agree that the chaos they work in should stop and the fish produce has been decreasing in a tangible way, they are now concerned with their survival as even some have credits they are supposed to be paying back yet they have no other source of money apart form fishing.

The union for the cooperatives of fishers and fish traders in Nyamasheke district said that in a way of making it easy for their members who have no any other source of income in the period that Lake Kivu will be closed, they will be given credits for survival of which they will pay back when they start working again as Eraste Bazirake the president of cooperatives union said.

In the meeting that brought together the Committee for District Development (CDC) that convened on the 25^th.July.2012, the committee members showed concern saying that this will have a negative effect on the lives of the people.

The chairperson of CDC who is also the vice mayor for Nyamasheke district for finance and economic development Charles Bahizi said that they know very well that Lake Kivu is the sole provider of many families in their economy and eating well but the resolution to close it must be respected..

This will make fishermen have a line to work according and to increase the fish produce which had increased from between 60 and 80 KGs per every fisher to between 7 and 10 KGs daily as it was shown by the fishing project in Karongi district.

In these months where fishing operations will be closed, fishing cooperatives are supposed to fill all they are required to like getting the necessary documents and fishing tools that will be used and that are worthy. People who do fishing in Lake Kivu in Nyamasheke district are 3400 people in number.