Lake Edward is one of the lakes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), located in the North Kivu province, within the Virunga National Park. The lake is fed by the Rutshuru, Rwindi, Ishasha, Nyamagasani, and Semliki rivers.
Situated in the Great Rift Valley and serving as the natural border between the DRC (70%) and Uganda (20%), Lake Edward spans an area of 2150 km2 with a depth of 117 km3 and a volume of 39.5 km3. Since 1980, Lake Edward has been experiencing overexploitation.
In the territories of Beni and Lubero, Lake Edward hosts over 50 legal and illegal fishing sites, from Kasindi Port to Nyakakoma. This overpopulation has resulted in numerous negative impacts on fishing activities. Ghislain Karumya, former head of the environmental service in Kyavinyonge, one of the legal fishing sites in Beni territory, chiefdom of Bashu, reveals that, in addition to rampant illegal fishing, Lake Edward is also facing a proliferation of plastic waste.
According to Karumya, plastic bottles and bags are clogging Lake Edward, both on its shores and within the lake itself. The mismanagement of this waste poses a significant challenge. He emphasizes that the residents living in the approximately 50 fishing sites around the lake poorly manage and dispose of their waste, not only on the lake’s shores but also in the spawning grounds, which are crucial fish breeding areas.
Karumya further adds that participatory protection of Lake Edward is not solely the responsibility of authorized services; the population must understand that safeguarding the lake can have a positive impact on production. He highlights that the use and production of plastic bottles and bags pose a real threat to the fish, likening it to suffocating the fish, particularly the fry, which has a significant negative impact on fish production. Therefore, he argues that it is not only the responsibility of the population to ensure the lake’s protection but also the Congolese government, which should prohibit the production and importation of plastic bags and bottles in fishing sites.
While Congolese fishermen occupy around 70 kilometers of the lake compared to the approximately 20 kilometers occupied by Uganda, they are regularly arrested by the Ugandan navy for fishing, leading to extended stays in various Ugandan prisons for violating territorial limits. Karumya stresses that the irresponsible use of plastic waste has negatively impacted the lake’s production, leading to the continuous arrest of fishermen and their equipment due to the lack of regulation and negligence, making them the primary destroyers of the lake. He emphasizes the need for the fishermen to protect their lake.
This article highlights the environmental challenges facing Lake Edward and the call for collective action to mitigate the negative impact of plastic waste on the lake’s ecosystem and fishing activities.
The editorial staff.