‘The lake is our life’: Protecting a shared lifeline in Uganda

But, behind these daily activities lies an increasingly visible threat: plastic waste and other debris entering Lake Albert.

Leaders of the local fishing community are warning that without urgent action, pollution could endanger fish stocks and, as a consequence, the lives of future generations.

Like the local fishers, the UN has also warned of the decline of freshwater species due to pollution and environmental degradation in recent decades.

Surface water bodies are shrinking or being completely lost in areas home to 93.1 million people, while more than a quarter are becoming increasingly cloudy because of pollution, according to a 2024 report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN-Water.

In celebration of World Lake Day, marked annually on 27 August, Solomon Wamara, the chairperson for fishers on Lake Albert, said the community cannot continue to view the lake as a source of livelihood while allowing it to be filled with waste.

“It is a good time to highlight the threats facing this lake that is our lifeline,” he told UN News.

Plastics threaten fish breeding grounds

For Mr. Wamara, plastic waste is not just a sanitation issue. It directly affects the future of fishing and food security.

He said that when plastic bags and other waste are thrown away, they eventually end up in the lake, where they can affect the areas where fish breed and grow.

But the pollution doesn’t stop at the lake’s shores.

Agricultural activities and waste disposal often carry waste from the Wambaya, Waki and Nguse rivers into Lake Albert, Mr. Wamara said.

“River pollution affects fish breeding grounds and also food security. These rivers are essential for the survival of fish and communities that depend on the lake,” he said. “The lake is our life.”

Society’s responsibility

The community should change the way it cares for the lake, according to Mr. Wamara.

He urged communities living around Lake Albert to stop dumping waste – especially plastic – and to participate in environmental sanitation activities.

Mr. Wamara supports monthly the cleanliness campaigns and say such efforts should be expanded and involve more communities.

Conservation efforts should also consider the financial situation of the people whose livelihoods depend on the lake, he said.

Rather than excessively taxing traditional fishers, he said authorities should help them continue fishing sustainably and within the law.

UN News

Fishers on the shores of Nkondo, Lake Albert, in Kikuube district, Uganda.

A common resource

Godwin Angalia, the Kikuube district commissioner, who also comes from a fishing community and was once a fisher, said the government sees lakes as an important pillar of local economies and people’s lives.

“As a government, we value lakes because they enable the lives of millions of citizens,” Mr. Angalia said. “They also provide various resources that support society."

However, Lake Albert faces several challenges, including environmental pollution and illegal fishing.

According to Mr. Angalia, the government continues to take steps to combat pollution resulting from human activities while also aiming to protect the water sources that feed the lake.

“Of course, rivers like Nguse and Wambaya have been polluted,” he said. “Also, the Bugoma Forest is very important for the life of Lake Albert and the creatures in it.”

Mr. Angalia said efforts are ongoing to protect the Bugoma Forest and the rivers that empty their waters into Lake Albert from destruction and pollution.

He has also urged village leaders to be vigilant and report people who pollute the environment or destroy lake resources to the relevant authorities.

UN News

Weathered wooden fishing boats anchored on Lake Albert in Uganda.

Fishers’ role

In addition to government measures, Mr. Angalia said the community should be part of the solution.

The government has begun forming indigenous community committees that will assist in fisheries management in their areas.

Mr. Angalia said fishers’ participation is important because they are familiar with the lake’s environment and understand how its resources can be used without depleting them.

“We fishermen ourselves know that we should not catch young fish,” he said. “We use natural and environmentally friendly methods in fishing.”

For Mr. Angalia, fishers are at the center of discussions around conservation, not only as part of the problem, but also as important guardians of the resources they depend on.

Future in everyone’s hands

As human activity increases, so does the pressure on Lake Albert’s ecosystem.

For surrounding residents, the message is clear: the lake cannot be protected by the government alone.

If Lake Albert is to continue sustaining the food, income and livelihoods of communities like Mr. Wamara’s, protecting it isn’t an option, but a necessity.

“If we protect the lake, we protect our lives and the lives of future generations,” he said.