06 Mar 2024

Flora / Lake Victoria: convergence point for environmental crimes

From illegal fishing to smuggling, this report highlights the lake's vulnerability and the urgent need for action.

Lake Victoria in East Africa is a convergence point for a range of environmental crimes perpetrated by actors who exploit the lake for profit. Fishermen use the water mass not only to legally draw their livelihood but also to profit from overexploitation of the environment through practices such as illegal fishing and sand harvesting. Lack of a unified registration regime for small boats has enabled their use in these illegal activities. A clash in operational mandates of security forces from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania impedes regional efforts to combat these and other crimes.

About the author

Willis Okumu is a Senior Researcher, ENACT, based at ISS Nairobi.

Image: Willis Okumu

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