Mathematical Modeling of the Nile Perch Fishery in Lake Victoria

The question of the optimal regulatory paradigm for harvesting Lake Victoria’s Nile perch is subject to considerable debate. This thesis develops, analyzes and simulates a new bio-economic model of the Nile perch fishery that couples a bio-energetic fish population model to an economic model of the fishery, incorporating the size structure of the fish population and gear selectivity. The model suggests that fishing should be selective, focusing on larger fish. This challenges the current understanding and suggests new directions for modeling the fishery of Lake Victoria.