The fishing community around Lake Kivu have continued to decry the sharp decline in sardine production.

Fish farmers say that the decrease in fish stocks, especially sardine production, might have been triggered by illegal fishing and climate change effects

 Patrick Nshimiyimana, a young fisherman from Rutsiro District, joined the trade in 2017 and founded a company, dubbed "Nile Quality Food,” after graduating from the University of Rwanda.

He said that after exploring job creation opportunities around Lake Kivu as a native of Western Province, he realised that fishing sardines (small fish locally known as Isambaza) and other fish species was a business opportunity that could also help reduce malnutrition in the district.

However, he said that the decrease of sardines is hurting his efforts.

"We suspect that the issue was probably caused by climate change and illegal fishing that hurt sardines reproduction. We used to harvest between 20 tonnes and 30 tonnes of Sardines every month but this has decreased to between 3 tonnes and 5 tonnes,” he decried.

He said that this is the second year facing the crisis adding that what they are now focusing on is fish farming so that they increase in fish production from 3 tonnes to 15 tonnes.

Flour made from Sardines.

He said that there is not enough enforcement of laws that punish illegal fishing.

He was expressing the challenges during the launching of Rwanda Chapter of African Youth in Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture Incubation Network.

It was launched by African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in partnership with Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF).

The network aims at creating jobs for youth in animal resources sector and addresses their challenges

Nshimiyimana said that among other challenges they face also include lack of fish consumption culture among the general population.

Rwanda’s per capita fish consumption is presently at 2.3 kilogrammes per person per year, the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa which has an average of 6.6 Kilogrammes.

"We want that Rwandans consume fish so that our customer base increases but also improve their nutrition habits,” he said.

A  Kilogramme of  fresh or raw Sardines is currently, at Rwf3, 000 and Rwf7,000 for dried Sardines while a Kilogramme of other fish species goes for between Rwf2,500 and Rwf3,000.

Nshimiyimana said that when he processes Sardines into flour, he sells a Kilogramme at Rwf9,800.

"We have a machine that dries Sardines and another that processes them into flour. We chose this so as to satisfy clients whose children do not like to eat fresh or raw fish,” he explained.

So far, he said that he produces 700 Kilogrammes of Sardines flour per month.

He currently employs 16 staff in the company.

The impact of Sardines stocks decrease

The young entrepreneur that he said they would be producing and getting more profits if Sardines production had not decreased.

"Due to the decrease in Sardines production, those involved in the business have also decreased consequently leading to job losses. This has also triggered an increase in fresh Sardines price from between Rwf1,500 and Rwf1,800 to over Rwf3,000 per Kilogramme for ,” he said.

The fish stocks decrease from Lake Kivu could hurt Rwanda’s target to increase annual fish production considering that Lake Kivu contributes big to national fish production.

Total fish produced from Lake Kivu was 18,879 tons in 2018, amounting to 70 per cent of total fish production in Rwanda.

Solange Uwituze, the Deputy Director-General of Animal Research and Technology Transfer at The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) said that currently total national fish production stands at 31,600 tonnes per year.

The production is set to reach 114,000 tonnes, under the country’s fourth strategic plan for agriculture transformation which runs from 2018/2019 to 2024.

The country’s fish produce falls short of its demand as it has been importing more than 15,000 tonnes per year and if the illegal fishing persists it could keep relying on the importation.

She urged the youth to embrace cage fish farming so as to sustain national fish production.

 "Fishing sector has so many job creation opportunities. We urge youth to establish fish ponds, make use of idle fish ponds as well as embrace cage fish farming for job creation in fishing sector,”

"For instance, we tell youth to invest in cage fish farming on Lake Muhazi which helps them to control their fish production,” she added.