What is the problem?
IFMP patrol canoe |
Accidents and fatalities on the lake are known to be rife, though accurate statistics are not available. Several major accidents have already taken place, while drowning of fishermen is all too often reported, contributing to a fatalistic attitude amongst fishermen towards their occupation. The lake is large and dangerous, making it difficult to reach people in difficulty. There are very few interventions to improve the safety of fishers and much more needs to be done to prevent accidents and reduce risks.
LVFO is working to improve safety on the lake through awareness raising, training and building linkages with relevant organisations, such as Lake Rescue.
The importance of safety training
Effective approaches to safety at sea everywhere in the world and at all levels rely on three lines of defence:
- Prevention (the most reliable and cost-effective component): Suitable equipment, training, experience, information and judgement to avoid getting into trouble in the first place.
- Survival and self-rescue: The equipment, training and attitudes necessary to survive and effect self-rescue when things start to go wrong.
- Search and Rescue (the most costly and least reliable of the three levels): Systems of alert, search and rescue which are called upon when the first two lines of defence have failed.
The importance of quality training in reducing loss of life through prevention and survival of accidents, as well as in reducing SAR costs, cannot be over-emphasised. The main constraints to the provision of good training are the costs involved and the lack of mandatory requirements.
Lake Victoria Transport Bill
Passenger boat unloading |
The Lake Victoria Transport Bill was enacted by the East African Community in 2003 to make provision for the creation of an organ within the Lake Victoria Basin Commission to regulate maritime safety, make provision for the construction, survey, registration and licensing of all vessels used on Lake Victoria, for the safety of passengers and cargo and for the competency of masters and crew and for other connected matters. This Bill has several references to fishing vessels under each of the topics, although the levels of monitoring and compliance are currently variable.
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization, in line with these regulations, conventions and guidelines, is promoting the integration of safety at sea into fisheries management through the ongoing training of patrol staff in safety and First Aid and is planning similar training for members of Beach Management Units around the lake.
National responsibility for maritime safety
The EAC Partner States that share Lake Victoria have national arrangements for overseeing safety on the lake. Tanzania has established the Surface and Marine Transport regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) (www.sumatra.or.tz), Kenya has established the Kenya Maritime Authority and in Uganda, this function falls under the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication.
Lake Rescue
Other agencies active in this area include the Non Governmental Organisation, National Lake Rescue Institute (NLRI) located in Uganda, whose Vision is:
- To provide education and training in maritime safety and environmental protection for all water users in the region to an internationally recognised standard.
- Operate an independent, co-ordinated search and rescue service to compliment all the related East African Community member government, donor and private sector projects and programmes.
- To improve water safety and in so doing, create development opportunities, promote tourism, attract foreign investment and reduce poverty.
For more information on Lake Rescue, go to www.lake-rescue.org.
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Fisheries Management Plan 
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