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Poor and unreliable knowledge of the status of freshwater fisheries limits their inclusion in governance processes, thereby impeding effective management measures. This threatens the livelihoods of people, particularly in developing countries. Improved knowledge is required to draw the attention of policymakers and stimulate effective management measures to accelerate the sustainability of the freshwater fisheries. In line with this requirement, this paper provides the state of knowledge of the aquatic ecosystem and fisheries of the Lake Edward system, East Africa, focusing on lakes Edward, George and the Kazinga channel. The state of knowledge was accomplished by reviewing existing data and information on aspects of primary productivity and water quality, invertebrates, fish fauna, fish life history and ecology, and fisheries. The waterbodies have been monitored since the 1930s, albeit sporadically, providing data on all the above aspects but with substantial temporal gaps. Adequate and updated data and information exist on the water quality status of the water bodies, extant aquatic taxa (including fishes) and fish catches but with uncertainties in the latter. Data and information gaps exist on the abundance of biotic communities, fish life history, quantitative trophic ecology and fisheries management reference points. The aggregated data and information can directly support decisions for fisheries management. We recommend regular monitoring to fill the data and information gaps, more comprehensive stock assessments and the development of aquatic ecosystem models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adequate knowledge is essential for responsible inland fisheries. However, many inland fisheries lack monitoring, and therefore, decision‐making for fisheries management is not reliable. In this paper, we used data from surveys and literature to estimate the life‐history and growth parameters of 16 exploited fish stocks in the Ugandan part of Lake Edward and Lake George (East Africa). The estimated parameters are pivotal indicators of fish stock status, particularly in data‐poor fisheries. The estimated parameters included maximum length (Lmax) and mean length (Lmean) as indicators of size structure in experimental and commercial catches, coefficients of length–weight relationships, length at 50% maturity (Lm50), fecundity, von Bertalanffy parameters, total mortality (Z), and natural mortality (M). These parameters were estimated using empirical formulae, statistical methods, and analyses of length frequencies. Only two stocks of semutundu Bagrus docmak exhibited significant and increasing trends in Lmax (Lake Edward) and Lmean (Lake George). The estimates for the remaining parameters were consistent with those in FishBase and other literature resources, either for the same species or related species. This consistency indicates their reliability for application in decision‐making and further assessments. Some parameters showed evidence of unsustainable fishing. For example, estimates of Lm50 for four of the assessed stocks belonging to two species (Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and marbled lungfish Protopterus aethiopicus) were lower than baseline estimates in the studied waterbodies. Furthermore, the Lmean in catches for all the stocks were less than the optimum lengths (Lopt), which maximize catches with a minimal impact on biomass and size structure. No significant changes in Lmean, length–frequency distributions, and size at maturity could be attributed to the management changes implemented in 2018, probably because it is too early to observe changes in these parameters. However, there are positive signs attributable to the changes in management as shown by a high proportion of mature individuals in commercial catches for most of the stocks for which the proportion was calculated, and an increase in Lmean and Lmax for some stocks, such as B. docmak, in commercial or experimental catches. New estimates from this study will enhance decision‐making and further assessments of fisheries. Routine monitoring is recommended to update and improve the estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]