Tanzania is lobbying Kenya and Uganda to support an annual six-month ban on fishing of Nile perch in Lake Victoria in a bid to help replenish the stock.

Tanzania intends to ban Nile perch fishing on its side of the lake for six months each year, a move that would leave its 200,000 fishermen without a livelihood for half the year and put $325 million in export earnings at risk.

The Minister of Livestock Development and Fisheries, Dr Titus Kamani, said the government had made a considered decision to impose the ban. The proposal that the other two countries join in was to have been discussed at a meeting of EAC ministers for fishing in Kampala last week. However, it is understood that this did not happen.

“When we tell people that they should stop using illegal fishing gear and stop juvenile fishing, they don’t understand; we don’t have any other choice at the moment,” Dr Kamani told The EastAfrican.

Dr Kamani said Nile perch stocks at the lake were badly depleted and the government was consulting other countries with a view to seeking their participation.

“I can’t tell you when the ban will start because we need to seek approval from EAC member states and see if they can also take similar decision. My colleagues are at the moment in Uganda to discuss the matter. I will give a position when they return and brief me,” said Dr Kamani.

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However, the executive secretary of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO), Godfrey Monor, said Tanzania had not informed them about the decision.

“We had a delegation from Tanzania including the permanent secretary here yesterday (Wednesday October 15) in Kampala to attend the special council on cage culture but they did not talk about it,” Mr Monor said.

Mr Monor said the priority for the partner states should be to strengthen patrolling of the lake and cracking down on illegal fishing gear.

“Each country is entitled to its own decision but we need to agree on the best way to impose a ban jointly, because we share one ecosystem and fisherman from one country cross over to the others’ waters,” he added.

The EU head of delegation to Tanzania and the East Africa Community, Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, said the ban would reduce earnings from Nile Perch sales to the EU market. Tanzania’s proposal is that the ban be effected for three years but there are fears this could force EU traders to look for alternative year-round markets.

“The ban will lead to the reduction in national revenue generated from Nile Perch exports and a possible shift of EU demand for Nile Perch products to aquaculture products,” Mr Sebregondi said.

Mr Sebregondi said the decision could also force hundreds of fish processing plants around the lake to review their businesses and affect the nutrition of thousands of residents who depend on the Nile perch as a source of protein.

The EU is the largest market for Nile perch from East Africa. In 2013, some 26,100 tonnes of Nile perch fillets were exported to the EU from the region.

Tanzania was the main exporter with 12,400 tonnes followed by Uganda with 10,800 tonnes and Kenya with 2,900 tonnes. Tanzania earned $325 million from the exports last year.

According to LVFO, the growth in commercial importance of tilapia and Nile perch has increased Pressure on fish stocks. About 60 per cent of the original fish species are feared to have become extinct.