These two meetings will both review the current understandings of the current state and future direction of the physical, biological, and social systems of Lakes Malawi and Victoria, and outline the needs for research, training, management and infrastructure development to respond to those changes. While the theme of threats to the future well-being of the lakes has received attention in the popular press, our disciplinary perspectives focus on varying aspects of the perils; indeed, what is regarded as a threat to these lakes in one discipline or field may be perceived as beneficial in another. We intend for these meetings to result in a publication and in proposals for further developing the lakes research, research infrastructure, and advanced training of African scientists.
A. Symposium at the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Africa's Fragile Lakes: An Assessment of Social and Environmental Changes
Panel 1 - Lake Victoria - February 23 (Wed.), 8:30-11:30 am (Hilton)
Panel 2 - Lake Malawi - February 23 (Wed.), 2:30-5:30 pm (Hilton)
The AAAS Symposium in San Francisco provides a public overview of the biological, legal, and socioeconomic status of the two lakes. The M.S.U. conference will provide an opportunity to review those conclusions and to explore the implications of the recent changes in the physical, biological, and socioeconomic systems of the lakes. In these two meetings, we seek to only provide advice and support the capacities of the owners of these lakes to enact and oversee the research and management strategies needed for sustainable uses of these African treasures. B. A Working Conference at Michigan State University, February 25-27 Managing the Ecology of Lakes Malawi and Victoria
The MSU conference also will consider the implications of these broad ecological and socioeconomic trends for managing the biological, legal, and socioeconomic systems with relevant support of research, training, and infrastructure. Management strategies include those directly related to the lakes themselves and those associated with the wider physical, social, and policy contexts including locally-based co-management systems. This conference will begin with a day of reviewing what is known about the ecology and the multiple human uses of the two lakes. Following this review, we will assess the research, training, and infrastructure which is extant, planned by local institutions and donors, and needed to support an appropriate management system. Finally, the conference will conclude with a summary of future plans and cooperative efforts among the local and foreign researchers. American Association for the Advancement of Science - Annual Meeting Africa's Fragile Lakes: An Assessment of Social and Environmental Changes A Two-Panel Symposium Panel 1 - Lake Victoria - February 23 (Wed.), 8:30-11:30 am (Hilton, Continental Parlor 1)
This is the first of two sessions on the environmental condition of large African lakes, beginning with a multidisciplinary perspective on the ecological health of Lake Victoria. An initial overview provides a brief introduction of the multiple issues involved in the interface between biological, ecological, and socioeconomic concerns, exploring the social, economic, and management implications of recent biological and ecological research. The second paper describes the present biological trends in the lake, including species composition and bio-diversity, the food chain, rising anaerobic levels, and other limnological changes, describing the severity of the ecological dangers arising from human impacts, particularly from the introduction of the Nile perch. The third paper integrates limnological and biological understandings to the socioeconomic issues in maintaining the health of the lake. We focus particularly on the fishing industry, including a discussion of degradation arising from industrial, urban, agricultural, and demographic sources. Fourth, suggested long-term research goals for Lake Victoria are proposed in the context of the pressing requirements for conservation and environmental management of both the lake and its basin. The fifth paper reviews the implications of the different theories regarding the biological and socioeconomic impacts of introducing the Nile perch on the fisheries and on the ecology of Lake Victoria. We consider ways in which the fishing industries of riparian nations can respond to the probable instability in this "new fishery," including the extent to which over-fishing and fishing practices endanger future benefits from the lake. We assess some management strategies to assess their potential impacts on bio-diversity, the health of the lake, the fishing communities, and other lake users. Papers and Panelists
1. Introduction to the Symposium: Profs. William Derman and David Wiley, Program on the
Lakes of East Africa, Michigan State University
2. Dr. Fred Bugenyi, Director, Uganda Fisheries Research Institute,
"Overview of the Current Situation on Lake Victoria"
3. Dr. Tony Pitcher, "Implications of Current Ecological Trends in Lake Victoria"
4. Dr. Dismas A. Otieno, School of Environmental Studies, Moi University,
"Conservation and Environmental Management of Lake Victoria Basin Resources:
The Basis for a Long-term Research Programme"
5. Mr. Ernest Yongo, Socio-Economist, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute,
"Implications for Managing Lake Victoria of Recent Socioeconomic Reseach."
6. Drs. Craig Harris and David Wiley, Department of Sociology and African Studies Center,
Michigan State University, "The Socioeconomic and Management Implications of the
Changing Species Composition of Lake Victoria"
Africa's Fragile Lakes: An Assessment of Social and Environmental Changes
A Two-Panel Symposium
Panel 2 - Lake Malawi - February 23 (Wed.), 2:30-5:30 pm, (Hilton, Continental Parlor 1)
Lake Malawi, the eleventh largest and fourth deepest lake in the world, hosts one of the
world's great reservoirs of cichlid diversity. It also provides critical sources of protein and means
of livelihood for the surrounding populations.
Lake-owning nations face social, economic, and biological challenges in managing this
resource. These include means to conserve and use the lake's biological and genetic potentials
through developing community-based programs of resource management, the integration of
socioeconomic and biological considerations in management strategies, new modes of
inter-ministerial and inter-governmental cooperation, and the assurance of equity in access to
livelihoods based on fishing, farming, and tourism. Drawing on recent research, the four
presentations explore a series of questions facing lake-users and policy-makers.
The first paper considers recent socioeconomic research on fishing communities and lake
policy. Recent development interventions will be considered in light of how they incorporate
social, ecological, and biological concerns; their likely impacts on fishing communities and other
lake users; and their implications for national and international lake management.
A second paper assesses current knowledge of fish diversity and speciation, and possible
implications for biological diversity of new development interventions, including the World
Bank Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the recent donor promotion of aquaculture.
The third paper summarizes recent research on fish stocks and the changing species
composition of catches, discussing plans of the Fisheries Department for maintaining catch levels
and for implementing new strategies of community-based fisheries management.
The fourth paper reviews new management initiatives for the fisheries of Malawi, providing
analysis of the project pressures upon Malawian fisheries and the interventions that the Fisheries
Department see as critical to meet the food needs of the growing Malawian population.
The fifth paper examines the role of national parks, wildlife reserves, and tourism in
maintaining the ecological well-being of the lake and related river systems. Plans for managing
Lake Malawi National Park (a world heritage site), and other lake-side parks and reserves.
Papers and Panelists
1. Drs. William Derman and Anne Ferguson, Department of Anthropology and African
Studies Center, Michigan State University, and Dr. Richard Mkandawire, Department of Rural
Development, Bunda College of Agriculture, Malawi,
"An Analysis of the Social and Political Dimensions of the Fisheries on Lake Malawi"
2. Dr. Peter Reinthal, Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University,
"Species Diversity and Speciation on Lake Malawi"
3. Mr. S. Alimoso, Head, Department of Fisheries Research Unit, Malawi, "Recent Research and
the Development of New Research Strategies for The Fisheries of Malawi"
4. Mr. S. Donda, Sr. Fisheries Officer, and Mr. S. Bland, Fisheries Economics Adviser, ODA,
"An Approach to New Management Initiatives for the Fisheries Resources of Malawi
5. Mr. R. Munthali, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Malawi,
"National Parks and People: Sustaining Lake Malawi's Ecology"
Managing the Ecology of Lakes Malawi and Victoria:
A Working Conference
February 25-27, Michigan State University
Revised Schedule
Thursday-Friday, February 24-25 - Conferees arrive.
Housing: Park Inn International, 5500 Trowbridge Road, East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: (517) 351-5500, Fax: (517) 351-5509.
E-mail at the MSU African Studies Center: AFRICA@MSU.EDU
Friday, February 25
6:00 pm - Reception - The MSU University Club
7:00 pm - Dinner
Welcome
Panel of African Fisheries and Research Institutions: Goals for the Conference
Drs. Alimoso, Bugenyi, Mkandawire, Otieno
Saturday, February 26 - at the MSU Union, Abbott Road and Grand River Ave.
The Ecological Health of Lakes Malawi and Victoria,
8:30 am - Continental Breakfast available (coffee, tea, juice, rolls)
9:00 am - The Ecological Health of Lake Victoria: An Overview
Panel -
Drs. Bugenyi, Cooper, Hecky, Otieno,
Chair: Prof. Wiley
11:00 am - Discussion of Lake Victoria
Discussants: Drs. Kauffman and Kling,
Chair: Prof. Harris
12:00 pm - Lunch - The Evergreen Grill, 327 Abbott Road, East Lansing
1:30 am - The Ecological Health of Lake Malawi: An Overview
Panel
Alimoso, Donda, Munthali, Mkandawire, Ferguson, Derman, Reinthal,
Chair: Prof. Derman
3:15 pm - Break
3:30 pm - Discussion of Lake Malawi - Chair: Prof. Ferguson
4:15 pm - "The Implications of Ecological Trends on the Lakes for Lakeside Management and
Research Institutions"
- Dr. Brian Davy, IDRC, Introduced by Dr. Hecky
6:00 pm - Cash Bar - TJ's Restaurant, Trowbridge Road at the Park Inn International
7:00 pm - Dinner - TJ's Restaurant
8:00 pm - "Multinational Research and Management for the North American Great Lakes"
- Dr. Carlos Fetterolf, International Joint Commission
Introduced by Prof. Harris
Sunday, February 27 - at the MSU Union, Abbott Road and Grand River Ave.
Research, Training, and Infrastructure for Managing Lakes Malawi and Victoria
9:00 am - Continental Breakfast available (coffee, tea, juice, rolls)
9:15 am - Current Plans for Research, Training and Technical Support for Lake Victoria -
- FIRI, KMFRI, TAFIRI - Dr. Bugenyi
- Other local institutions (universities, Lake Basin Development Authority) - Dr. Otieno
- Global Environmental Facility - Dr. Kauffman
- IDRC - Dr. Hecky
- IDEAL - Dr. Kelts
- NSF Project - Dr. Kling
- MSU Program on the Lakes of East Africa (PLEA) -
Drs. Wiley and Harris
- Other Lake Victoria Research Groups in U.S. and EC
11:00 am - Issues in Managing Lake Victoria
- Issues and Approaches - Prof. Harris
- Training and Research - Profs. Bugenyi and Otieno
11:15 am - Training for Research and for Managing Lake Victoria - Dr. Otieno
12:00 pm - Discussion of Lake Victoria
Drs. Bugenyi, Otieno, Hecky, Kauffman, Harris, Wiley
12:30 pm - Lunch - The Evergreen Grill, 327 Abbott Road, East Lansing
2:00 pm - Current Plans for Research, Training, and Technical Support for Lake Malawi
- Malawi Fisheries Department - Research and Management Activities
- Lake Malawi Fisheries Development Project/World Bank
- The Global Environmental Facility
- Overseas Development Authority
- Bunda College/MSU Program on the Lakes of East Africa
- Other: European Community, IDEAL, etc.
3:30 pm - Break
3:45 pm - Issues and Approaches to Managing Lake Malawi
Alimoso, Donda, Munthali, Mkandawire
5:00 pm - Concluding Remarks
6:30 pm - Dinner - Place to be announced.