Current status, challenges and strategies for sustainable fishery of Lake Hawassa

Abstract

Lake Hawassa provides scenic beauty and fresh breath for the city of Hawassa and its surroundings. It is also ecologically and economically important to the local community in generating income from tourism, hotel industry and the fishery. In particular fishery serves as a means o f income and livelihood for large number of legal and illegal fishermen and their associates. Locally, it is one of the main sources of animal protein for the low income community. However, with the rapid expansion of the city and population pressure the fishery of Lake Hawassa has been threatened mainly by human induced factors such as overfishing, use of destructive gears, fish breeding habitat degradation, pollution etc. Most of these problems are closely linked with mismanagement and inconsiderate exploitation of the resource. Considering the problem of Lake Hawassa. SOS-Sahel initiated to undertake research on sustainable use of Lake Hawassa fishery as component of a project “Improving smallholder Livelihood and Resilience through CSA Economic Development (ISLR-CSAED) Project. This assignment was given to research team consisting of senior and young researchers of the Ediiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. The research team consists of researchers specializing in fishery biology, plankton limnology and aquatic ecology. The RT employed different methods to collect primary and secondary data including literature review, browsing the internet, on site field visit to the lake. The team also had long discussions with experts and researchers of the bureau of Agriculture, Southern Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) and Hawassa University. Data gathered from various sources have been analysed and compiled to produce this strategic document. This document is divided into five chapters and the salient issues addressed include Description of Lake Hawassa and major challenges of the fishery. Historic and current analysis on the fishery and fishery biology of commercial fish. Review of legal documents pertaining to fishery and institutional arrangements at regional and national level. Mitigation measures suggested for halting the lake fishery problems. Suggested implementation strategies and role of various institutions to address the problem.We strongly believe that the report captured major challenges of the lake fishery. Implementation of suggested strategies requires strong commitment and collaboration of different governmental and nongovernmental organizations for the common goal of protecting the Lake Hawassa fishery and health of the lake ecology. It is our strong hope that SOS-Sahel and concerned stakeholders will take the lead to improve sustainable utilization of the lake fishery and livelihood of the fishery community.