Lake Victoria Aquaculture Cage Culture – Mara

“Addressing Economic and Nutritional Needs of Tanzanian Families along Lake Victoria through Fish Cage.”

Tilapia Cage Fish Farming Operations

With its Hub under Lead4Tomorrow Family Hui parenting program as the “social infrastructure” with groups of 8-10 families working together to support one another, Mara Family Hui, a peer-facilitated, positive parenting/child development program was launched. The project uniqueness is that it incorporates what might be termed a “whole life” approach to addressing poverty and nutrition though aquaculture.  Financial support from the Tankersley Endowment administered by Auburn University was used to initiate a tilapia cage farming pilot. A group of 5 males and 15 women were identified as the first beneficiaries. Hui parenting training was conducted and afterward cage culture session commenced with the support of our partner Tanzania Fisheries and Research Institution-TAFIRI. Four group leaders were also trained.  The project begins with the group member beneficiaries cleaning the cage ready to be shifted for welding and other essential maintenance. Welding was conducted to the nearby center with electricity and afterward transported back to the site.

Project Location

The proposed cage pilot project was curried in one among the selected sites 3 cage sites during feasibility and EIA study in Rorya District at Kyangasaka, Gabimori, Busanga, Sota, Masonga, Mkoma villages surrounding Lake Victoria.  Both sites are located on the shores of Lake Victoria. To begin with, the cage pilot project will be curried in Shirati bay, this site was once used for TAFIRI research cage project. This site is next to breeding sites, these cages also help to protect this breeding site from illegal fishermen’s. After the pilot, the project will advance to Mori bay and Masonga. After the cage pilot launching, MCHEEO and L4T will continue to seek support to develop the available 160 ha of land for ponds and hatchery pond.

Project Justification

Lake Victoria fish production peaked in the early 1990s and currently catches of naturally produce fish species are showing downward trends. This takes place against a backdrop of protein-starved local communities whose livelihoods depends on the lake as the means to tackle poverty, nutrition and food insecurity.  In Tanzania, the demand for fish products in Tanzania far exceeds the local supply as noted; yet the need for high value protein and nutritional food is greater than ever. Lake Victoria presents itself as a ready solution to address protein, nutritional and empowerment needs.

Using a peer-facilitated, positive parenting/child development program-“Familia Hai” which hub on strengthening families and violence prevention around groups of 10 families working together. Our focus in this project is to empower these “Familia Hai” groups of women and youth increase their self-sufficiency and food security through fish cage farming while creating jobs for many youths who are unemployed and families with nutrition.

Project Description

On successful completion and approval of the suitable site for cages and pond in Lake Victoria, our focus and attention is to establish cage pilot project in Shirati Bay using 8 cages and will be given to Familia Hai participant, each Familia Hai group, of 10 participants will be given 4 cages of 2x2x2 size that carries stocking density of 150-200 fingerlings per cubic meter. Production is owned by the Familia Hai participant (women/youth). On the same note, L4T has agreed to work together with TAFIRI focusing on technical advice. On these mutual benefits, TAFIRI will/can also use the cages for research, training and data collection purpose during the pilot. The approach will address the special needs of rural women, farmers, youth, adolescents, and small entrepreneurs. L4T provides social-parenting education and financial literacy through weekly group meetings. Participants will be advised on the best ways to manage their businesses and run the project efficiently and sustainably.

L4T’s monitoring personnel ensures that the program runs as planned and identifies if there are any kind of discrepancies. Head of the project also visit groups from time to time to assess situations on the ground. Proper financial reporting is ensured with advanced information technology, and through monitors, auditors and an accounts team. Aside from parenting and aquaculture/financial trainings, L4T has started developing an integrated set of services that strengthens the supply chains of its “Familia Hai” members’, giving them access to quality inputs and support in marketing their products. Basic infrastructure development commence on the land such as construction of storage facilities, accommodation, offices station and other off-shore infrastructure and Installation of floating cages on Lake Victoria and supplying of fingerlings to the out-grower schemes and training to the community.

Participation of Hui Fish Farming Group

L4T Hui fish farming group started with twenty (20) members of which fifteen (15) were female and five (5) male. Men were included to support heavy duty activities such as peddling of boat to the cages during feeding, cage maintenance, and security of cages to avoid thieves at nights.

“In communities with polygamy like Mara region, women are marginalized, Before, I was a wife who cowered before her husband and brought no income to the family. Now with this project, I am a leader, an income earner and equal partner in my marriage. This project has helped me find my voice, my power, my community.” – Pendo Pundo, Hui member.

The fish farming group carried out general farm management and monitoring activities. They did sporadic check-up of the cage nets, mending of nets, and cleaning of the cage nets. Other activities were feeding of fish, guarding of cages, and replacement of any dilapidated cage materials. All the activities were conducted under supervision of TAFIRI Sota research team. Throughout the farming period, cages were monitored for infringement and in case of any disparity; immediate measures were taken to settle the problem. Cleaning of cage net was done after every two weeks using a hand brush and the removals were freely washed out by waves. Washing was done careful to avoid injury of the fish in cages and sometimes due to the changes on the clarity of lake waters, cage nets clogged faster than expected. Thus, cleaning was done on the spot to avoid infection and diseases outbreak.

Feeding was administered according to fish sizes. At the start, when they had average weight of 0.03 g to juvenile stage of an average (25 g) were fed 5% of their body weight three times a day and reduced to twice a day at size 150 g. Thereafter, fish (pre-grower and grower) continued to be fed twice a day but at 3% of their body weights. Sometimes feeding rates may change after noting some differences in feeding behaviors of the fish accompanied by changes in environmental conditions.

L4T Hui fish farming group gained a number of advantages from the collaboration with TAFIRI. The most important benefit obtained was on job training in fish farming, and training on methods of fish farm management in either ponds or cages. Others are identification of fish sexes (males and females), knowledge about fish feeds and feeding regimes, knowledge on how to clean cages, identify key challenges in fish farming such as diseases especially fungal and how to treat the infections.

‘‘It is very hard to get fish from fishermen’s because of increase in demand from fish buyers, and decline in capture fisheries, this is striking back to the community, we rarely eat fish in our families, through this project am fully convinces that one day I will own my fish farm. Fish are growing very well; the challenge is the capital’’. Magreth Samwel, Hui Cage beneficiaries.

Participation of TAFIRI

‘‘Since graduating as an Aquaculture Expert, this is the 1^st time raising fish, supervising and learning from the whole process, fingerlings to grown fish. Am so grateful for this project’’ Cesilia Mataba TAFIRI Expert.

On the onset of this project an inception meeting was convened to address various issues relevant to the project. In this meeting, roles of each partner in the collaboration were highlighted and agreed. Basically, TAFIRI Sota had to provide technical support to the fish farming group. It was also supposed to monitor fish cages, assess environmental impacts and finally, evaluate cage productivity. In situ data collected of water physico-chemical parameters such as pH, temperature (⁰C) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and water transparence (turbidity). Water samples were also collected weekly by a water sampler and a plankton net to determine distribution and abundance of phytoplankton species.

TAFIRI Expert Taking Water Sample for Analysis.

During lifespan of the project, TAFIRI Sota team provided on job training to L4T fish farming group. They were trained on different fish farming skills such as fish feeding and how fish behave during the feeding process. They were also taught how to clean cages, carry-out minor repair and maintenance of cages as well as idea on fish cage and pond management.

TAFIRI on the other hand, had opportunities to understand various strength and weakness of fish farming communities through L4T Hui fish farming group and extra technical training from Dr Karen Veverika, former director of E.W.Shell Fisheries Center, Auburn University . It was realized that best output can only be achieved if there is spirit of cooporation among the team members. Poor performance can be achieved if there is reluctancy of team members in following the planned schedule of activities. Others are lack of confidence in receiving directives from the local team of scientists and poor response in picking up advise and guidance. TAFIRI benefited also in the collection of research information to guide management of fish farming which are hereunder discussed.

Primary Productivity

In this study more than 66 species of phytoplankton were identified representing five classes of Cyanophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Dianophyceae and Chryphyceae  (TAFIRI technical report). There was no diversification of phytoplankton species both near the cages and away from the cage areas. But when comparing the two areas, samples taken from near the cages had relatively higher abundant phytoplankton species than samples taken away from the cage areas. Cyanophyceae species such as Microcystis, Anabaena and Merismopedia were abundantly recorded throughout the study period with large number in September (65.97 No./ml) and June (10.17 No/ml) at sampling station away from the cages and near the cage areas, respectively. The highest abundance of phytoplankton may have been associated with influents water into the lake during rainy and spring seasons (April – June and September – November). Generally, the observed levels of phytoplankton species at cage site were relatively low indicated that fish cage farming had no negative effect to aquatic environments the same as reported earlier by Kashindye et al. (2015).

Fish stock in cages

At the start of the project, a total of 12,800 Nile tilapia fingerlings with average weight of 0.03 g were stocked in happa inside two cages each with 6,400. Sampling was conducted after two months and noticed that 11,878 fingerlings had escaped. The cages had remained with 922 juveniles with an average weight of 11.4 g. After thorough check of the cage nets, small holes were found and possibly they may be a cause for the escaped fish. All the remaining fish were concentrated into one cage. In the process of checking the nets strength, a total of 1,086 juveniles were found entrapped in none stocked cages and had an average weight of 23.62 g. Thereafter, more two cages i.e. the third and fourth cages were stocked a total of 6,871 and 6,800 Nile tilapia fingerlings of average weight of 0.15 g respectively. Fish were fed differently depending on their sizes.

Feeding and Growth Performance of the fish

According to the observation and analysis during the project, the first four months from April to July, weight gain of fish imported from Kenya was low possibly due to environmental conditions as they were stocked at very small average weight of 0.03 g (Table 3 of TAFIRI technical report). At this stage Nile tilapia fries required optimum temperature range of 27-30⁰C. But an average recorded water temperature from April to July was below (26.6⁰C) to support fast growth of fish below 25 g. Growth doubled after fifth month and gradually increased up to harvesting. Fish that were accidentally found in cages (Intruders) had good growth performance throughout the study period. Survival rate of the fish in cages is shown in table 3 of TAFIRI’s technical report whereby over 97% of the fish get lost during the study period. Escaping fish accounted for more than 93% of this loss.

Project Advisors

Karen Veverica

Karen is the key advisors on the introduced aquaculture project in this pilot project both technical and managerial wise.  Previously worked in aquaculture production research and development in much of Africa. Now Director of Auburn’s 1800-acre fisheries research station. Work in warm-water aquaculture facility design and construction and training. She has been supporting and advising the project with an incredible wealth of practical knowledge. Her work in Africa especially Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and now Tanzania has been exemplary and indicative of a long-term commitment to aquaculture development on the continent.”. Karen has been helping the project with advices on proper technical and management of the cage pilot, training of women, youth and TAFIRI.

Greg Bourne (L4T / HUI)

As the director of the Lead4Tomorrow (L4T) an international nonprofit public benefit corporation in Davis, California. Greg has been working hard to pursue the goal of introducing the Family Hui parenting program in East Africa with the groundwork laid for other desired programming as well.  Already in Tanzania, L4T have initiated aquaculture, poultry and vegetable as microenterprise and nutritional programs through the Family Hui framework, and much more is anticipated during the next three-year planning cycle such as introduction of Family Hui Nursary and Day Care School in Mara and Dar es Salaam.  Greg has been support Tanzania team with leadership seminars as well as initiates other programs that can help prevent violence and provide for overall health and well-being of children and their families.  This in turn leads to more thriving and healthy communities. That vision is for every child to live in a safe, nurturing family which has the economic capacity to meet their needs.  This includes not only incorporating positive parenting principles into family life, but also creating opportunities to support the nutritional and economic well-being of every family.

Stephany (L4T USA BOARD MEMBER)

A Board Member of L4T USA, as a teacher, through her support, Stephany organized students to fundraised for the solar lights that are conducive with the environment. Over 50 solar lights were donated for the Hui group members both in Mara and Dar es Salaam. The light is supporting the security guards at the cage during night.  Since Shirati is located in rural areas with less electricity coverage, other lights were divided to each Hui member in Mara, 5 lights were given to TAFIRI and the rest are kept for phase 3 of the project for security purposes.

Challenges

Loss of fish from the nets received from TAFIRI

As indicated in the report, 97% of the fish loss was caused by decay of the nets which supported fish to escape through dilapidated holes in the cage nets. Initially the cage nets where used by TAFIRI for a research study that did not mature due to theft. Afterwards, the nets where stored back in the store. Since the TAFIRI cage pilot study did succeed, L4T requested to maintain and re-use the cages and nets to conduct a pilot. Initially the nets looked in good shape but after a 2rd to 3 months, massive escapes were recorded caused by dilapidated hole. To combat this situation, new nets has been bought (10 nets of 2x2x2 and 2 nets of 6x6x4 has been bought.

Lack of practical knowhow from experts and beneficiaries (group members)

Since the first TAFIRI research pilot did not mature, the current project was the trial for both TAFIRI and the group members. During quarter review of the technical practices from TAFIRI, external technical advisor (Dr. KarenVeverika) identified and highlighted a number of mistakes that was conducted by TAFIRI officers during the sampling and feeding. A training and discussion between TAFIRI and Dr. Karen was conducted focusing on the best practices when dealing with cage farming. Further training was extended to beneficiaries and the community in Mara.

Inadequate Finance

Since this was a pilot project, it was clear that close supervision was needed. Due to financial constraints, it was very hard for supervisor to travel to the farm whenever something comes up.

Project Way Forward

Purchase of New Nets

Currently over 10 nets of 2x2x2 size and 2 nets of over 6x6x4 has been bought from the project return aiming at restocking the cages back to the water for phase 2 after the successful pilot that was hindered by minor technical uncertainty factors. As indicated on the TAFIRI technical report, over 97% of fish escaped through the week nets, by replacing these new nets, the project is expected to operate successfully.

Expansion of Cage Production

Cage expansion

For the successful expansion and achievement of the best growth result of the fish during the pilot, it was clear that new nets were needed to avoid further losses. 12 cage nets of 2x2x2 and 6x6x4 size were bought. The 2x2x2 nets will replace the old ones using the old frame, on addition to this; additional two (2) iron cage frame of 6x6x4 has been welded. The two 6x6x4 cages are expecting to carry a capacity of 7 tons of fish stocking each cage with 3.5tons per cage. The 2x2x2 cages will be stocked using the same stocking density as per the pilot.

Feeds

For the successful accomplishment of phase two of the production after the pilot, additional 4 tons of feed has been bought. This feeds will be used to support the expansion of the cage project. The lot feed was ordered from Skreting in Kenya and Aqua group in Egypt. For a successful production, the project will continue to import feed until proper production and material cost are properly managed with the authority.

New Pond Liners 100 meter

To avoid import of fingerlings from neighboring Kenya, due to the increase of fingerlings demand and desire to expand the production after the pilot, a pond liner roller of 100 meter with 0.5 thicknesses has been bought and will be used at available 8 ponds for the production of fingerlings. The liners were imported from Kenya.

“I work really hard at trying to see the big picture and not getting stuck in ego. I believe we’re all put on this planet for a purpose, and we all have a different purpose… When you connect with that love and that compassion, that’s when everything unfolds, ti pain to see our women suffering in rural areas until now, I strongly believe aquaculture through pond and cages are the solution for their economical liberation.” – Geofrey Rucho

Family Hui Aquaculture Cooperative Union-Mara FHACU

So as to run the project commercially and successfully, a Family Hui Aquaculture Cooperative Union-Mara is inevitable. The cooperative union is formed by Hui parenting graduates who have undergone Hui parenting training and later incorporated on the aquaculture project. The cooperative will support Hui women to access commercial financial support from banks and micro finance. The cooperative will also support Hui groups to sell their products, buy feed and other aquaculture inputs etc. Ideally, L4T and L4T will support the parenting trainings and FHACU will support to oversee the commercial aquaculture production and marketing. Already, legal registration of the FHACU has already begin.

Establish Fingurlings Production Unit

Having liners already at the sites for the ponds, production of fingerlings will begin at the farm through HAPA system and not incubation. This facility will supply fingerlings for the project and the remaining will be sold at affordable rate to other farmers. Brooders will be settled in the ponds using HAPAs and after the natural incubation the fingerlings will be scooped and settled in the tanks for sex-reversal feed for 7 days before introduced to any other feed.

Cold Chain (Ice making Machine)

Fish are perishable good, for the fish to reach the end user while fresh, good quality and testy a cold chain is crucial. As we scale for production, project will require transporting fish to the nearby cities for a better market and price. A medium scale ice making machine will support the project and the catch from fisheries. Ice call be sold to fisheries and local

Purchase of Boat Engine

During the pilot, a small wooden boat was made to support supply of feed to the cages. This boat was controlled by hand something that sometime when the lake is ruff endangers and threatens the lives of women who are going to feed the fish. When the lake is ruff, it becomes very difficult for one man to control the boat on his own. The focus is to purchase a small medium engine that will be used on the boat for feeding, cleaning and security purposes.

Establishment of Small Scale Processing and Selling Site

With the vision of expanding production and the number of beneficiaries, establishment of small processing plant which will also be used as a selling site. The plant will also create employment and add value to the products.

Organize and Empower More Women in Aquaculture Through Hui Groups

The project focus is to organize more parents and train them on the parenting models and empowerment agenda for the growth and welfare of the family. Currently, two Hui group with a total of 20 members have graduated and additional 5 have been formed to make a total of 70 members with membership demand rising due to the modal applied that impact families direct. With more resources, 15 Hui groups are expected to be formed and trained on parenting and aquaculture empowerment.

Monthly Base Production

After the pilot production, the focus is to make the project run and produce fish on monthly basis and not seasonal base. By doing that, additional 20 Cages of 6x6x4 will be required. The focus is to expand the production from the current seasonal production to monthly. This will help control the supply and market.

Expansion of the Pond in the 160 Acres of Basin Land Surveyed Next To Lake Victoria

During the survey, the identified 160 acres of basin land owned by the community next to Lake Victoria which was favorable for Tilapia and cat fish grow-out. Establishment of this farm will benefit the community both nutritious and economical.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Fish farming is said to be an alternative solution to the declining stocks of capture fisheries. These bring us to embrace aquaculture because the world is experiencing ever increasing population. The cheap and easy way to get extra fish protein is by practicing fish farming. A cage culture trial operated by L4T fish farming group is among initiatives to increase fish food protein. Another strategy to win the challenge is lack of fish protein has been through the Government Public Private Partnership Policy (PPP) entered between them and TAFIRI. Through the policy, fish farmers accessed technical knowhow and other assistances from TAFIRI (Government institutions) at no cost. At the same time TAFIRI had opportunities to interact with fish farmers to learn from and experience challenges facing them. Major challenges encountered during the trial was lack of quality fish seeds and feeds. If the mentioned issues are solved, definitely aquaculture development in the country will be on the move.

For further improvement of cage culture production at Shirati Bay the following are recommended:

• Fast fish growth is associated with the best fish seeds. Establishing hatchery will reduce cost of getting fingerlings from the wild and importation of the same from abroad
• Good fish growth performance is achieved by number of factors including good quality fish feeds. A good fish feed pellets machine has to be purchased and installed to process feeds at cheaper costs.
• Environmental pollution is a worldwide challenge. Research monitoring should continue to explore any effect resulting from cage fish farming in the lake waters.
• There is continuous increase in human population around the lake zone, which consequently risen the demands for fish. To curb this challenge, fish farming in the lake zone should be expanded by encouraging and assist communities to set up cages in the manner that hinders pollution.
• L4T fish farming group has gained experience on fish farming hence, further support should be extended to enable them use the knowledge for their development by exercising massive commercial aquaculture production.