Lake Victoria perch (Nile perch)

The Lake Victoria perch is the largest freshwater fish in Africa. It can grow to be up to two metres long, and can weigh up to 200 kg.

Its white, firm, bone-free meat is aromatic and has a very pleasant taste.

This fish lives in tropical and subtropical Africa, in all of the continent's major rivers (Nile, Shari, Senegal, Volta and Congo). The perch was introduced to Lake Victoria by humans in the early 1960s.

The shoaling Lake Victoria perch, also known as the Nile perch, inhabits its living waters at a depth of between 10 to 60 metres. Adult fish prefer deeper water.

They feed on all fish species, including their own. If available, cichlids account for up to 95% of the fish species consumed. Smaller specimen feed on crustaceans, insects and plankton.

Females are usually larger than males. The Nile perch has a grey upper side with a blue shimmer. Its sides and stomach are silver. Its eyes are black with gold rings.

With the aim of supporting the protein supply of the local population, this prolific perch species was introduced to Lake Victoria by Europeans between 1956 and 1962.

Gillnets - gillnets (GNS)

GNS is the abbreviation for the fishing method set gillnets. Set and gill nets are fishing nets consisting of a simple net wall made of single-threaded or braided nylon line. The fish is caught when it tries to swim through the net and gets stuck with its gills. An advantage of this fishery is the ability to target fish of a particular size or species by mesh size and placement of the net..

african mainland

Gillnets - gillnets (GNS)