Uganda has an estimated 20,000 ponds throughout the country with an average surface area of 500 m² per pond. The production ranges between 1,500 kg per hectare per year for subsistence farmers to 15,000 kg per hectare per year for emerging commercial fish farmers.
Types of fish reared in ponds
The types of fish that can be kept in ponds and cages include the following:
- North African Catfish
- Nile tilapia
- Carp
The areas with fish ponds include the following:
Mayuge, Jinja, Bugiri, Busia, Mukono, Mpigi, Wakiso, Masaka, Rakai, Mbarara, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Kasese, Hoima, Masindi, Nebbi, Gulu, Adjumani, Arua, Kamuli, Soroti, Lira, Iganga, Tororo, Pallisa, Mbale, Apac, Kabiramaido, Kabarole, Kamwenge and Kyenjojo.
The ponds are located around the country’s major water systems including Lake Victoria Crescent, Lake Kyoga basin, River Nile catchment, Edward-George complex and the Koki lakes.
The process of constructing a pond
Always obtain professional advice from the fisheries department before embarking on making a fish pond. The department will advice you on the size, depth and shape of the pond. The department will also advise you on the stocking level and fish food and feeding practices. The process of constructing a fish pond will include the following among others:
- Site clearing for pond construction
- Site measurement
- Excavation and construction of the fish pond
- Compaction of the fish pond and the pond banks
- Clearing of the drainage site
- Excavation and construction of the drainage system
- Liming of the fish pond
- Fertilization of the fish ponds
- Training of the caretaker and monitoring for a period of three months.
How to feed fish in the pond
Fish in a pond is kept in water and ecosystem in balance by eating the algae that grows in the water. The fish food is dried, ground, mixed and laced with mineral traces.