RV Uvumbuzi — KMFRI’s anchor research vessel on Lake Victoria, based at the Kisumu Research Centre.
About RV Uvumbuzi
RV Uvumbuzi — Swahili for “discovery” — is the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute’s anchor research vessel on Lake Victoria and the lead platform for KMFRI’s Freshwater Systems directorate.
Based at the Kisumu Research Centre on the Winam Gulf, this modern, well-equipped vessel carries fisheries scientists and limnologists across Africa’s largest lake — running hydroacoustic surveys, trawl sampling and water-quality studies that underpin the sustainable management of Lake Victoria’s fisheries.
Vessel Profile
Operating Area
Lake Victoria
Home Base
Kisumu Research Centre, Winam Gulf
Directorate
Freshwater Systems
Vessel Role
Anchor / lead research vessel
Survey Methods
Hydroacoustics & trawling
Research Focus
Fish stock assessment & limnology
Survey Systems & Methods
How RV Uvumbuzi studies Lake Victoria
Hydroacoustic Systems
Acoustic survey systems that map fish distribution and estimate biomass across Lake Victoria.
Trawl Survey Gear
Trawling capability for fisheries sampling and species-composition studies on the lake.
Limnological Sampling
Water-quality and limnological sampling to monitor the lake’s health and productivity.
Research Capabilities
Hydroacoustic Stock Assessment
Regular, state-of-the-art hydroacoustic surveys estimating fish stocks across Lake Victoria.
Trawl & Fisheries Surveys
Scientific trawling and sampling that track species composition and the status of inland fisheries.
Limnology & Water Quality
Monitoring the physical and chemical processes that drive the lake’s productivity.
Lake Victoria Research Platform
A shared, modern platform supporting collaborative freshwater science on Africa’s largest lake.