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East African Community

Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization

Upcoming FASCoM

LVFO to Convene the 8th Regular Session of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectoral Council of Ministers
 
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) will convene the 8th Regular Session of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectoral Council of Ministers (FASCoM) from 2 to 6 October 2026 in Bujumbura, Republic of Burundi.
Convened in accordance with the Convention for the Establishment of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization, FASCoM is the governing body responsible for providing regional policy direction on the development, management and conservation of fisheries and aquaculture resources within the East African Community.
The meeting will bring together Ministers, senior government officials, fisheries and aquaculture experts, representatives of regional institutions and other key stakeholders. It will be conducted through the following sessions:
  • Senior Officials Session: 2–4 October 2026
  • Coordination Committee Session: 5 October 2026
  • Sectoral Council of Ministers Session: 6 October 2026
During the meeting, delegates are expected to review progress in implementing decisions and directives from previous sessions, assess the implementation of LVFO programmes and consider various policy, technical and strategic matters relating to fisheries and aquaculture development in the region.
The meeting will provide an important platform for Partner States to exchange views, consider recommendations and agree on coordinated regional actions. Its deliberations are expected to strengthen cooperation and provide policy guidance for the sustainable management and development of the region’s fisheries and aquaculture resources.
The 8th Regular Session reaffirms the commitment of LVFO and the EAC Partner States to regional collaboration, evidence-based decision-making and the responsible use of shared aquatic resources for improved livelihoods, food and nutrition security, regional trade and economic development.
 

Welcome to Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization

The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO) is a specialized institution of the East African Community (EAC) whose mandate is to coordinate the management and development of fisheries and aquaculture resources in the EAC region.

A Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization, which was held in Kisumu, Kenya, on 30 June 1994, adopted the Convention for the Establishment of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO). The Convention was registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations on 30 July 1996 under registration number 32987.

At its 9th Session held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 29 January 2016, the Council of Ministers of the LVFO adopted amendments to the Convention with a view to, inter alia, opening membership to all Partner States of the East African Community, and extending the competence of the LVFO to the fisheries and aquaculture resources of the East African Community water bodies.  The amendments entered into force thirty days after their adoption, that is, on 28 February 2016 and the Republic of Burundi officially  acceded to the convention on 4th October 2017.

Vision

“A Competitive and Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Industry in the East African Community”.

Mission

Its Mission is “To promote Sustainable Management and Development of Fisheries and aquaculture in the East African Community for Food Security and Wealth creation”.

Objective

The Objectives of LVFO is to foster co-operation among the Partner States, harmonise national measures for the sustainable utilisation of the fisheries and aquaculture resources of the East African Community water bodies, and to develop and adopt conservation and management measures.