[markw]

I have a trip next week to the southern part of Lake Victoria at Mwanza(business), but will have some spare time to explore the Lake. I am mostly interested in Tanganyika, however have some expereience with various Victoria species. Anybody have any suggestions or experience around that area, as to maybe arranging a dive. I'm not really aiming to collect anything, although I do have an import license for Canada. Just have to arrange to export them.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[DJRansome]

I thought Lake V was really very polluted and most of the species coming into the hobby these days were from surrounding lakes? Like Kyoga, etc.?

 

[samaki]

Hi
There is still a great diversity of haplochromis in the lake, At Mwanza Bay yu may find some H.ishmaeli on the sandy bottom, if searching some rock dwelling fishes, then try the rocky patches arround this aera. Many species are found arround this aera so yu'll have the choice. If yu haven't so much time, then yu may fish with a hook line at the rocky shores and take pics of the fishes. The graal is to find a piscivore species to know if there are still some in the lake( but if yu dive, then it's another story, take care of the crocos). As the waters are more polluted, the haplos are not treathened but mostly the nIle perch( it doesn't live well in low dissolved oxygen waters) so some species are really coming back in number( zooplnctivores, detritus eaters).
xris

 

[markw]

I have heard from a few others, who suggested the water offshore around the boulder areas, is quite clear, and more or less diveable! I need to go out several kms. from the harbour to find something. I do tend to lean toward the concensus that the nile perch has eliminated quite a few species from the lake, and the smaller Haps are mostly gone. I'll update when I return...if the crocs don't get me first!

 

[RRasco]

Hi
There is still a great diversity of haplochromis in the lake, At Mwanza Bay yu may find some H.ishmaeli on the sandy bottom, if searching some rock dwelling fishes, then try the rocky patches arround this aera. Many species are found arround this aera so yu'll have the choice. If yu haven't so much time, then yu may fish with a hook line at the rocky shores and take pics of the fishes. The graal is to find a piscivore species to know if there are still some in the lake( but if yu dive, then it's another story, take care of the crocos). As the waters are more polluted, the haplos are not treathened but mostly the nIle perch( it doesn't live well in low dissolved oxygen waters) so some species are really coming back in number( zooplnctivores, detritus eaters).
xris

That might be some of the best news for our little friends in Lake V.

 

[samaki]

Hi
Yes, looking at the tons of Nile perch caught by industrial fisheries, the number and the size is decreasing considerably.
Xris

 

[markw]

Well, just returned from Mwanza on Lake Victoria. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to dive. The faciliites just don't support it. I tried to find a place that would take me out in a boat, with at least some sort of "dive support", but I couldn't find anywhere. The Lake is quit dirty, and the visibility is limited. It is a gigantic lake and of course being at one end, we sure didn't see much. A lot of crocs in the lake, and the natives all just stare at you when you ask about diving. There is a huge fishing industy on the lake, with both commercial fishing and individuals. At night when you look out on the lake, it appears as though a highway appeared full of car headlights. In fact its hundreds of small dugout boats fishing with lights in the middle of the lake. So my excitement was limited to a safari in Serengetti Park.

 

[gmaschke]

Disapointing but the Park was well worth it I bet!

 

[tirzo13]

i talk to someone at the north part of the lake every now and then, as far as he understands there is no diving setups anywhere on the lake.
which is understandable, even Tanganyika and Malawi which have great clear water only have a few diving facilities.

He also said the water along the coast is not clear, but he does collect cichlids along the coast.