Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization ( LVFO )
Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization ( LVFO )
Location : Email : lvfo-sec@lvfo.org
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) is a specialized institution of the East African Community (EAC) whose mandate is to coordinate the management and development of fisheries and aquaculture resources in the EAC region.

A Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization, which was held in Kisumu, Kenya, on 30 June 1994, adopted the Convention for the Establishment of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO). The Convention was registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations on 30 July 1996 under registration number 32987.

At its 9th Session held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 29 January 2016, the Council of Ministers of the LVFO adopted amendments to the Convention with a view to, inter alia, opening membership to all Partner States of the East African Community, and extending the competence of the LVFO to the fisheries and aquaculture resources of the East African Community water bodies. The amendments entered into force thirty days after their adoption, that is, on 28 February 2016 and the Republic of Burundi officially acceded to the convention on 4th October 2017.

Vision
“A Competitive and Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry in the East African Community”.

Mission
Its Mission is “To promote Sustainable Management and Development of Fisheries and aquaculture in the East African Community for Food Security and Wealth creation”.

Objective
The Objectives of LVFO is to foster co-operation among the Partner States, harmonise national measures for the sustainable utilisation of the fisheries and aquaculture resources of the East African Community water bodies, and to develop and adopt conservation and management measures.

The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) is a specialized institution of the East African Community (EAC) whose mandate is to coordinate the management and development of fisheries and aquaculture resources in the EAC region.

The LVFO was established by a Convention in 1994 and registered as a regional fisheries management organization under the UN Charter of the Food and Agriculture Organization (CAP 102).

The idea of having an institution to coordinate the management of fisheries resources in the EAC region was conceived way back in 1928 and centered on the riparian states of Lake Victoria (Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania). This idea gave rise to the establishment of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Service and later the East African Fresh Water Fisheries Research Organization from 1947 until 1977 when the old East African Community collapsed. The FAO sub-Committee of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture then took over the coordination of the Lake Victoria fisheries, leading to the formation of the LVFO in 1994.

The Convention establishing the LVFO was reviewed in 2016, and expanded the scope and mandate of the organization to include Burundi and Rwanda to the original three countries; extended its focus beyond Lake Victoria into covering all water bodies in the EAC region; and gave aquaculture more prominence as a priority area of focus in addition to capture fisheries.

The Convention for the establishment of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization was signed on 30th June 1994 and entered into force on 24th May 1996. It was amended on 12th November, 1998 and on 29th January, 2016.

The composition of the LVFO is made of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Research Institutions of Partner States, Beach Management Units, and Associations of Fish Processors and Exporters who are coordinated by a Secretariat based in Jinja, Uganda. Beach Management Unit are organizations of fishers, fish traders, boat owners, fish processors and other beach stakeholders who have traditionally depended on beach fisheries activities for their livelihood.

Organs of the Organization (Reference - LVFO Convention)
The Sectoral Council of Ministers is the governing body of the Organization consisting of the Ministers responsible for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Contracting Parties or their authorized representatives. Currently, the Ministers are: Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Sempijja (MP) – Republic of Uganda (Chairperson of the Sectoral Council), CS. Mwangi Kiunjuri – Republic of Kenya (Vice Chairman of the Sectoral Council), and Mashimba Mashauri Ndaki (MP)– United Republic of Tanzania (Member of the Sectoral Council)


The Coordination Committee which consists of the Chief Executive Officers of the Ministries dealing with aquaculture and fisheries matters in each of the Contracting Parties or their representatives. These are the Permanent Secretaries / Principal Secretary; Mr. Pius Wakabi Kasajja – Republic of Uganda (Chairperson of the Coordination Committee), Prof. Micheni Japhet Ntiba – Republic of Kenya (Vice Chairperson of the Coordination Committee) and Dr. Rashid Tamatamah (Member of the Coordination Committee),


The Senior Officials consist of members who head departments responsible for fisheries and aquaculture management and the heads of the departments responsible for fisheries and aquaculture research in each of the Contracting Parties, or their authorized representatives. Currently there are six members heading the F&A Management & Research institutions; Dr. Edward Rukuunya – from Republic of Uganda (Chairman of the Committee), Ms. Susan Imende – from Republic of Kenya (Vice Chairman of the Committee), Dr. Semvua Mzighani – from United Republic of Tanzania (Member of Committee), Dr.Winnie Nkalubo – from Republic of Uganda (member of the Committee), Dr. James Njiru – from Republic of Kenya (Member of the Committee) and Mr. Emmanuel Bulayi – from United Republic of Tanzania (Member of the Committee).

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Technical Committee shall be constituted by the heads of the departments responsible for fisheries management of the Contracting Parties or their authorized representatives.

The Scientific Technical Committee shall be constituted by the heads of the departments responsible for fisheries research of the Contracting Parties or their authorized representatives.

The Working Groups advise the Senior Officials on matters within their areas of competence.


The Permanent Secretariat is headed by an Executive Secretary who is appointed by the Sectoral Council of Ministers for a period of five years non-renewable on such conditions as it may determine and the position is subject to rotation among the Contracting Parties. The current Executive Secretary is Dr. Shigalla Mahongo.

Executive Staff

Dr. Shigalla Mahongo
Dr. Shigalla Mahongo
Executive Secretary
Dr. Anthony Taabu-Munyaho
Deputy Executive Secretary

Professional Staff

Susan Serwadda
Director, Finance and Administration
Dr. Robert Kayanda
Director, Fisheries Resource Monitoring and Research
Mr. Samson Abura
Director, Information Communication and Technology
Dr. Edward Rukuunya
Director, Fisheries Management and Development

Kefine Kerubo Oluteyo
Principal Internal Auditor
Dr. Elysee Nzohabonayo
Director, Aquaculture Management and Development
Mr. Emmanuel Natalis
Principal Database Administrator


Company Information
Contact Name:
Contact Email: lvfo-sec@lvfo.org
Contact Phone: +256 434 125 000
Contact Fax:
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Address1: Lake Victoria Fisheris Organization Secretariat Plot 7B/7E - Bell Avenue
Address2: