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ESTABLISHMENT

The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization was established by a Convention signed on 30 June 1994, in Kisumu, Kenya by the "Contracting Parties" who consist of the Governments of the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Fisheries collaboration in East Africa, particularly between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, is perhaps one of the oldest in Africa. As early as 1928, it was recommended that a collaborative lakewide authority for regulation and collection of fisheries statistics be established. The East African Freshwater Fisheries Research Organization (EAFFRO) was established in 1947. A consolidated collaboration was established and further intensified with the formation of the East African Community in 1967.

When the East African Community collapsed in 1977, this important regional co-ordinating mechanism crumbled. However, since the riparian countries felt the need to continue collaborating in the development and management of fisheries of Lake Victoria a sub-Committee of FAO, Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa (CIFA), for Lake Victoria was established in December 1980 at the 4th session of the committee held in Blantyre, Malawi. This provided a unique forum for regional collaboration in the development and management of the fisheries of Lake Victoria.

Between 1991 and 1995 three seminars were held in the region, under the auspices of the FAO-CIFA Sub-Committee on Lake Victoria to discuss management issues, options and strategies for each of the riparian states. These seminars led to a regional meeting for the management of Lake Victoria and the creation of Lake Victoria Fisheries Commission. Further consultation between the riparian authorities with an FAO Mission led to the drafting of the convention establishing Lake Victoria Fisheries Commission. This draft was later approved by a Legal and Technical Consultation Meeting for the Establishment of Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO), in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, 12th – 25th March, 1994. This was followed by signing and adoption of the Convention at a conference of plenipotentiaries on 30th June 1994 in Kisumu Kenya. Operations at the Secretariat Headquarters in Jinja commenced on 1st July 1997.

OBJECTIVES

To foster co-operation amongst the Contracting Parties
in matters regarding Lake Victoria;

To harmonise national measures for the sustainable utilisation
of the living resources of the Lake;

To develop and adopt conservation and management
measures to assure the health of the Lake's ecosystem and the sustainability of its living resources.

FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY

In order to achieve the main objectives, LVFO has function and responsibility to:

Promote the proper management and optimum utilisation of the fisheries and other resources of the lake;

Enhance capacity building of existing institutions and develop additional institutions dedicated to, or likely to contribute to, the purposes of the Convention in co-operation with existing institutions established in or by the Contracting Parties and with such international, regional or non-governmental organisations as may be appropriate;

Provide for the conduct of research concerning the waters of Lake Victoria, including without limitation the quality of such waters, in particular with respect to supporting the living resources of the Lake and the nature, extent and pathways of its pollution and other forms of environmental degradation;

Encourage, recommend, co-ordinate and, as appropriate, undertake training and extension activities in all aspects of fisheries;

Consider and advise on the effects of the direct or indirect introduction of non-indigenous aquatic animals or plants into the waters of Lake Victoria or its tributaries and to adopt measures regarding introduction, monitoring, control or elimination of any such animals or plants;

Serve as a clearing-house and data bank for information on Lake Victoria fisheries and promote the dissemination of information without prejudice to industrial property rights, by any appropriate form of publication;

In respect of any or all of the foregoing, adopt budgets, seek funding, formulate plans for financial manage-ment and allocate funds to activities of the Organization, or to such activities of the Contracting Parties as it may determine to be in furtherance of the purpose of Organization Convention; and

Undertake such other functions as it may determine to be necessary or desirable in order to achieve the purpose of the Convention.

 

 

The Executive Secretary,

Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization
Plot No. 2 Oboja Rd & 28 Kisinja Rd
P.O. Box 1625
Jinja - Uganda
East Africa

Tel: +256-43-120205/6

Fax: +256-43-123123

E-mail:  Contact us (lvfo-sec@lvfo.org)

Internet Web Site Address:

http://www.lvfo.org

GOVERNING BODIES

The Council of Ministers is the supreme organ of the LVFO consisting of Ministers responsible for fisheries in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.  The Council meets every two years. Its first session was held in December, 1996 in Uganda, while its second session was in November, 1998 in Kenya. The third session of the Council was held in June, 2000 in Jinja, Uganda. The last one (5th) was in May 2004, in Bagamoyo, Tanzania.

Policy Steering Committee comprise the Permanent Secretaries in the ministries responsible for fisheries development and management in the Contracting States.  Besides its normal functions, this Committee adopts recommendations on policy which it forwards to the Council of Ministers.

The Executive Committee is composed of the heads of the departments responsible for fisheries and heads of fisheries research institutes in each Contracting State.  In addition, heads of Water and Environment of each Partner State are also members of the Committee. The East African Community Secretariat and all heads of key regional programmes/projects are ex-officio members.

One of the Committee’s functions is to review the activities of the LVFO, and forward recommendations to the Policy Steering Committee.

The National Committee,  in each Contracting State, falls under the Permanent Secretary who co-ordinates and reports its activities directly to the Council of Ministers. The members of the Committee are drawn from various Government Ministries and agencies, NGOs, CBOs and other institutions that have a stake in Lake Victoria.  Under the auspices of the LVFO, representatives from each National Committee converge in an annual regional meeting.

Other Committees include, Fisheries Management Committee and Scientific Committee. Working groups and ad-hoc committees may be set up whenever need arises. Currently there are three such working groups/committees.

The Permanent Secretariat is located in Jinja, Uganda. It has the following staff: Executive Secretary, Deputy Executive Secretary and four professional staff members. Currently there are eight general staff members.