Through the LEAF II Project, Uganda has acquired a fisheries marine research vessel that will be deployed on Lake Albert to support critical fisheries research activities. By mid-October 2021, the research vessel was 91% complete and is expected to be in the Lake Victoria waters heading to Port Bell, Uganda before 31st December 2021. This high capacity self-contained vessel is equipped to host 12 scientists comfortably in the waters for 15 straight days conducting their research work. It has accommodation areas, resting places for crew and scientists, kitchen, eatery, science laboratory, toilets, working bench among others. The vessel comes with a separate fiberglass rescue boat and two inflatable life rafts each with capacity to rescue 8 people.
“Having this vessel will be a major boost to our research work because, with it, we shall conduct research that previously we didn’t have capacity for on Lake Albert,” said Dr. Winnie Nkalubo, the Director, National Fisheries Resources Research Institute of Uganda (NaFIRRI) during an inspection mission of the vessel on 15th October 2021.”
The research NaFIRRI intend to conduct with the vessel include, hydro-acoustic and bottom trawl surveys that will help estimate the quantity, composition and distribution of fish biomass (stock) in the lake, thereby determine the fish resource envelope. Others are bathymetric surveys to determine the depth profile of the lake, which will aid in among others navigation routes mapping. Using the vessel, NaFIRRI will collect sediment samples from the bottom of the lake for assessment of their composition, and do water sample collection and analysis among others.
Work Progress
“Its steel works, engine and generator installation and fitting are complete as well as its radar, public address system, VHF antennae, emergency lighting and emergency power backup for navigation equipment,” explained Mejja Songoro, the managing director of Songoro Marine Limited. Songoro Marine, based in Mwanza, Tanzania, is constructing this 18.5m x 5.9m vessel. Its sewage treatment, hydraulic and fuel systems were 90% complete by October 2021. Still pending was installation of scientific equipment like echo-sounder for deep water survey, and video sounder, both of which had already been procured.
Mejja Songoro explained that performance stability test, inclination test, sea trials and fishing trials for mid-level and bottom trawl will be conducted on Lake Victoria before the vessel is dispatched to Port Bell. When it reaches Port Bell, its super-structure will be un-bolted and loaded into special trailers that will transport them to Kaiso landing site on Lake Albert where it will be reassembled, re-painted and deployed for use. A research station and docking pier will be constructed at the Kaiso landing site to host the vessel.
“I was impressed by the quality of work of the contractor, and remarkable progress that had been made since my last visit, two months prior,” said Dr. Nkalubo. “I am pleased to note that the contractor has taken time to understand the purpose for which the vessel is being built and I have no doubt that Uganda is getting a very well-done vessel,” she added. She further explained that the boat was slightly bigger, and its shape streamlined for speed and stability against turbulence, typical of a Rift Valley lake like Albert.
The research vessel will be handed over to NaFIRRI for management and operations since they are the mandated fisheries research agency in Uganda. Procurement of the research vessel was supported by the Multinational Lakes Edward and Albert Integrated Fisheries and Water Resources (LEAF II) project of NELSAP/NBI that is funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented in collaboration with the Governments of the D.R Congo and Uganda. The vessel was financed through LEAF II Uganda component and the Government of Uganda provided counterpart funding.
