During the period 2008 to about 2012, various fisheries delivery institutions strengthened their performance in a number of areas ranging from institutional establishments, research, pilot initiatives, and programmatic interventions.

Similarly, different fisheries associations engaged in interventions that targeted the users of the fisheries delivery agencies with major focus on human rights awareness, institutional capacity strengthening, youth and women empowerment.

The Federation of Fisheries Organizations Uganda (FFOU) was subsequently conceived in early 2015 as a loose coalition to steer involvement of the fisheries sector players in addressing the issues directly affecting the poor and marginalized group of fishers in Uganda.

FFOU was then registered and formalized its status in April, 24th 2017 as a company limited by guarantee to promote efficient use of fisheries resources in Uganda with the following activities;

• Ensure well-coordinated fisheries activity owned and governed by its members 
• Educate its members to observe fishing standards, laws and ethical conduct
• Increase negotiation power of the fisher folks
• Ensure self-monitoring in relation to quality and compliance to local and regional market demands, 
• Protect the environment around the lake shores, 
• Promote sanitation and increase the safety of waterbodies in that respect
• Promote responsible fishing as well as sustainable development goals (SDGS).
• Lobby and advocate for issues relevant and appropriate to the promotion of access to justice for fishers;
• Research, document and disseminate information on Fisheries Sector;
• Mobilize resources for fisheries associations;
• Strengthen the voice and visibility of fisheries sector;
• Working with the Department of Fisheries Resources, GIZ-Uganda Responsible Fisheries Business Chain Project (RFBCP), supported by German Government, Civil Society in Uganda Support Program (CUSP) supported by European Union and Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS). 

At that time, the Federation was composed of 25 fisheries Associations. 

FFOU has gained a lot of experience since its establishment in 2017 when most of the services were largely provided by organizations located in urban areas with barely any coordinated mechanisms to pursue common agenda. 

A fully fledged Secretariat is now in place to enhance member ownership and participation in collective programmes as well as offer a platform of opportunities for development partnerships and strategic networking with all the relevant actors in the fisheries Sector.

A 5-year strategic plan was also developed in 2018 to drive a more coordinated effort for improving synergies that strengthen fisheries sector.

Since 2019, the membership has grown from about 25 Associations reaching 127 within a period of 5 years. This has created a constituency of passionate individuals and associations seeking to utilize their expertise more appropriately in provision of fisheries. A lot of institutional development efforts have already been taken to ensure that the Federation is relevant and functional.

It is on this basis that FFOU has built its current institutional setting in order to consolidate the achievements made towards systemic improvements and ensure programme developments that strengthen coordination as well as support more effective approaches to enhancing the provision of quality fisheries services below;

 (a) To improve the cost effectiveness of FFOU Services, increase geographical coverage and enhance the quality of services to its members;

 (b) To build and strengthen institutional and human resource capacity of FFOU and members