A sample of mixed cichlid species caught by an encircling liftnet, including a large B. microlepis and its juveniles at Munene, Fizi

Lake Tanganyika littoral areas are of higher diversity, especially in cichlid teleost of unsurpassed speciation and economic values. However, these critical habitats and their fish-fauna are undergoing multiple alterations (e.g., overfishing, water pollutions, habitat-loss, sedimentation, and lake-global warming) often leading to species loss and local extinction. Along Congolese shorelines (depth 0–20 m) of high human influences and fish protein demands, many littoral-cichlid species are mostly targeted by local-fishers by employing different gears. Most of these fishing-gears and techniques are no longer sustainable to littoral-fish stock due mainly to their smaller mesh-sizes mostly capturing smaller-sized fish. Earlier data based-stock analysis reported a strong shortage of some cichlid species of commercial interests from many locations between Uvira and Fizi territories.

Cichlid species are particularly vulnerable to intense fishing further to their longevity and fecundity. Thus, such threat is not yet better illustrated due to the limited key ecological studies on each targeted littoral-fish species and habitat. Otherwise, fishery sector faces management problems (lack of conservation measures, low legislation, or uncontrolled rapid increase of fisher’s number), especially in Lake Tanganyika Congolese shores of Uvira and Fizi. Though actively intense, this littoral fishery still ignored in many aspects and many actors are unaware on threats arising from their activities to the fish resource. Detailed studies on these fishing-activities combined with fish ecology still limited; efforts to stimulate more insights into management and legislation initiatives are needed.

To manage fish resources, this project will examine the littoral fishing fleet from Lake Tanganyika north-western parts by collecting fish-data (experimental and commercial catch), environmental features and conducting socioeconomic surveys with education techniques in the field. We intend to investigate the littoral fishery of cichlids with more emphasis on their ecology (i.e., population status, reproduction, distribution, habitat requirements and fishery fleet status) of common species and to sensitize all stakeholders on the threats facing this resource in order to promote sustainable preservation of Lake Tanganyika littoral cichlid communities. The project findings will present high potential benefits for the communities, decision-makers, and future researches in term of biodiversity conservation at Lake Tanganyika, particularly in the Congolese side.