Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation

Freshwater ecosystems within Lake Victoria are highly threatened to extinct. There are thirty nine Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and two Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites identified by International Union for Conservation Nature (IUCN). RedList assessments indicate that freshwater fishes of the Lake Victoria Basin are under high levels of threat. Out of 234 species assessed, 86 species are classified asthreatened representing 55.5% of allextant assessed species. This level of threat is significantly higher than that for the combined freshwater fishes of continental Africa where 26.6% of assessed species were reported as threatened. To a large extent the high number of threatened species is linked to thedramatic decline and potential extinction of many endemichaplochromine cichlids within Lake Victoria, resulting from the interactions between multiple increasing human-induced stressors. Despite the high levels of threat, only one freshwater fishspecies native to the basin has been confirmed Extinct.

Todate, the IUCN report has shown that 22.6 % of fishes in the lake has been classified as Critical Endangered (CR), 1.7% Endangered (EN), 1.3% Vulnerable (VU), 12.42% Near Threatened (NT), 33.3% Data Deficiency(DD), 28.2% Least Concern (LC), and 0.4% Extinction (EX)

Our Organization works to preserve and protect freshwater species in the lake and their habitats. Our team conducts research, advocates for policy changes, and collaborates with stakeholders to develop and implement conservation strategies. We create community conservation areas in Lake Victoria and we manage them.
Also we raising awareness for existence Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE). Promote the conservation and recovery of endangered fish species and their habitats and, support the engagement and participation of Indigenous Peoples in stewardship ecological system.