2.0 Site Description
The planetary health case study focused on Napoleon Gulf which is an inlet on Lake Victoria that leads into the Nile River. The major urban center on the shores of the Napoleon Gulf is Jinja where my placement was held at the National Fisheries Resource Research Institute (NaFIRRI). The gulf and surrounding area support multiple local fishing communities, industries, commercial fisheries, aquaculture, hydropower, shipping and transport routes, commercial and subsistence farming, as well as the urban population of Jinja. The city of Jinja relies on the lake for municipal drinking water and releases the wastewater effluent back into the lake after treatment.
The mesocosm experiment was set up at NaFIRRI Farm (aquaculture cages) in Napoleon Gulf, seen in figure 3. The NaFIRRI Farm is located at 1133 meters above sea level with the coordinates of 0o24’48.30” N and 33o12’36.34” E. The site location for this experiment was chosen because of the pre-existing aquaculture structure (NaFIRRI Farm) and present environmental stressors within the area.
The communities visited during the placement were Kikondo, Wairaka, Masese and Rock Villages. These communities were chosen due to their location within Napoleon Gulf and their reliance on the lake for their livelihoods. Each of these communities has an associated fish landing site.
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Figure 3. Photo taken of the mesocosm experiment at NaFIRRI Farm, Napoleon Gulf, LV Uganda.