COWX, I.G.

University of Hull International Fisheries Institute, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK. E-mail:
i.g.cowx@hull.ac.uk

Managing the fisheries of the Great Lakes: Acting on the complexities of reality

The Great Lakes of Africa support many of the major fisheries of the continent, but all are suffering from overexploitation coupled with major ecosystem changes that are affecting the sustainability of the resources. The scale and array of the perturbations vary depending on the lake concerned but the demise of the fisheries will have similar huge social and economic impacts in the region and ultimately could lead to irreversible ecosystem damage. This paper examines the complexity of factors contributing to the heavy fishing pressures on the lakes and the role played by human interventions on the ecosystems that could impinge on the sustainability of the resources. The paper then examines the role that must be played by all levels and sectors of society to ameliorate the changes in the resources and ensure sustainability for future generations. A shift from market-driven, resource exploitation to one tailored towards pragmatic management in a multiple resource user environment is highlighted.