Fishers’ ways of learning: a participatory action research at Kigungu Fishing Ground on Lake Victoria

Abstract

The persistence of illegal fishing world over and particularly in Uganda’s Lake Victoria, has caused economic loss equivalent of $36.4 billion and over $200 million annually respectively. Although illegal fishing has been addressed in Uganda; with the introduction of a co-management system and the presidential directives of Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), the vice still continues. Changing illegal fishing practice can only happen if fishers themselves are involved in changing their attitudes and behaviour. Lifelong learning could be helpful to young fishers in enabling them to upgrade their knowledge, attitudes, and skills against illegal fishing. Research shows the lack of clear and distinct proactive non-formal group lifelong learning opportunities for fishers’ self-direction towards sustainable fishing. Further, fishers who are mainly young people do not live in isolation, their female partners and female fish smokers could have an influence on their behaviours/practices towards sustainable fishing. This Research therefore sought to answer three research questions: i) What are the young fishers’ perceived knowledge, attitude, practices and experiences towards sustainable fishing ii) What can young fishers and their female partners/ female fish smokers do independently and iii) How can different stakeholders enable young fishers achieve self-directed lifelong learning for sustainable fishing? Employing a qualitative phenomenology design within participatory action research (PAR), young fishers were initiated into a community of lifelong learners in group learning settings. Young fishers, the Government and non-government stakeholders participated collaboratively in social constructivist learning as an alternative educational approach. This PAR reveals that young fishers had knowledge about legal fishing gears and methods as stipulated in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2022 and have a positive attitude towards sustainable fishing but still practice illegal fishing. This happened because legal fishing gears are expensive. Young fishers use illegal long lines/hooks which are cheaper. The study established that there is a general lack of social/group learning engagements for young fishers. Yet, young fishers cannot transcend to legal fishing methods unsupported. The FPU punitive approach to young fishers, the manipulative employment terms, contribute to young fishers’ hopelessness leading to a lack of agency towards sustainable fishing. Young fishers’ low literacy levels affect their abilities for self-directed lifelong learning towards sustainable fishing. Fortunately, there is high potential for young fishers to learn from each other and other stakeholders in group lifelong learning meetings. Unfortunately, most of the stakeholders included in this study were not active towards young fishers’ concerns. The study recommends an integral approach to group lifelong learning with fishers, which the Government through Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development should proactively guide to encourage self-directedness.