Farmed fish overtakes farmed beef for first time

• 10:00 19 June 2013 by Michael Marshall
• Magazine issue 2922. Subscribe and save
• For similar stories, visit the Food and Drink Topic Guide

Cows have been overtaken by fish. For the first time in modern history, the world has been producing more farmed fish than farmed beef. But instead of being a boon for the environment, many fish farms are damaging it because of the types of fish they breed.

A report by the Earth Policy Institute in Washington DC has found that farmed fish production is rising rapidly, reaching a record 66 million tonnes in 2012. Cattle farm output, by contrast, has levelled off, with just 63 million tonnes of beef produced in the same year.

If current trends continue, humans are set to consume more farmed fish than wild-caught fish by 2015, says the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Some farmed fish are good for the environment. Chinese aquaculture, which accounts for 62 per cent of the world's farmed fish, relies heavily on species such as silver carp. These can be grown on rice paddies and feed on grass, plankton and detritus. This relatively sustainable way of farming fish boosts rice yields and produces little pollution.

However, other popular farmed species such as salmon are carnivorous. They must be fed on smaller fish like anchovies, caught from the wild. As a result, salmon can only be farmed by further depleting wild fish stocks. "It would be preferable to shift the balance back in favour of farmed fish raised without feeds based on protein from other animals," the report concludes.

This article will appear in print under the headline "Fish leave cows standing"

Hi, my name is Janeth Gekondo. I would like to share with you a short article about Musoma town of Mara Region.

The first at the left is me (Janeth)

Musoma Town

Musoma is a city in Tanzania. It is the capital of Mara Region, one of the administrative Regions of Tanzania.

Location

The city sits on the eastern edge of Lake Victoria, close to the International borders of Tanzania with Kenya and Uganda. Musoma is located approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi), directly south of the geographical point where the borders of the three East African countries intersect. The town is located approximately 225 kilometres (140 mi), by road, northeast of Mwanza, the nearest large city.[1] Musoma lies approximately 480 kilometres (300 mi), by road, northwest of Arusha, the location of the headquarters of the East African Community.[2] The coordinates of Musoma are:1° 30' 0.00"S, 33° 48' 0.00"E (Latitude:-1.5000; Longitude:33.8000).

History and Etymology

Small shops around the bus station

The name Musoma comes from the word Omusoma which means, a spit. This is because Musoma's many spits pointing into the surroundingLake Victoria.

Maryknollers arrived in Musoma in 1946 to work side by side with the White Fathers, in what was then Mwanza Diocese. When Musoma was made a Diocese in 1957, Maryknoller John Rudin (now deceased) was the first bishop. While primary evangelization has been the first priority of Maryknoll in Musoma, Maryknoll priests, brothers, sisters and lay missionaries have also built and worked in churches, dispensaries and schools from Bunda District and the Serengeti to the Kenya border. Now there are six Maryknoll priests and brothers in Musoma, just a fifth of what there used to be in the 1970s.

Amongst the current resident ethnic groups of Mara, the site that later developed into the town of Musoma was first settled by the Kurya subtribe of Abhakabhwa, commonly called Wakabwa. They also gave the name to the location. Hence, Musoma originates from the Kabwa word 'Omusoma', which actually means a piece of land that protrudes into the Lake, essentially, a peninsula. All the kingdoms in Mara, which are actually sub-kingdoms of people with a common ancestry use the word 'Omusoma' (for the Wakabwa, as well as the Wajita and the closely related sub tribes of Wakwaya, Waruri, Wakara, and Wakerewe) and 'Omosoma' (for the many Kurianic subtribes such as Abhakerobha - commonly called Wakiroba; Wasimbiti, Wakenye, nk.). The full name is actually "Omosoma (or 'Omusoma') ghwa Nyabhamba".

Musoma was hotly contested and witnessed many intra-ethnic wars, particularly between the Wakabwa and their kins, the Wakiroba - who were second to arrive in the location after the Wakabwa. The Wakabwa brought in their allies, the non-Bantu Luo and were on the tip of winning the war. The Wakiroba turned to their allies, the Wakwaya but were still heading for defeat. Seeing the situation worsen, the Wakwaya and Wakiroba sought support from the Germans, who at that time had arrived in Mwanza but not yet conquered present day Mara. It was under severe attacks by the German Canons that the Wakabwa and their allies the Luo could be defeated and chased away from the area. A legacy of this war are several mass graves just outside Musoma, particularly in Nyabhange (now commonly called Nyabangi) in Kiroba Land. From that time on, the Wakiroba and Wakwaya became resident neighbors of Musoma, dominating its population for a very long time. Now Musoma is significantly cosmopolitan.

The first headquarters of the occupying Germans was established in Nyabangi, but - just like in the case of Bagamoyo on the Indian Ocean Coast, which was the first Capital of 'German East Africa' - it was abandoned due to shallow waters that made an unsuitable location for a harbour. Musoma became the new capital. Today, the old German 'Boma' is testimony to this history of Musoma.

Geography

The shore of Lake Victoria in Musoma

The town is situated in a heavily indented bay. The Mara River, after which the administrative region of Mara Region is named, flows into Lake Victoria, in nearby Kirumi in Kiroba/Simbiti Land.

Origin of the name Musoma

Amongst the current resident ethnic groups of Mara, the site that later developed into the town of Musoma was first settled by the Kurya subtribe of Abhakabhwa, commonly called Wakabwa. They also gave the name to the location. Hence, Musoma originates from the Kabwa word 'Omusoma', which actually means a piece of land that protrudes into the Lake, essentially, a peninsula. All the major tribes in Mara, which are actually subtribes of people with a common ancestry use the word 'Omusoma' (for the Wakabwa, as well as the Wajita and the closely related sub tribes of Wakwaya, Waruri, Wakara, and Wakerewe) and 'Omosoma' (for the many Kurianic subtribes such as Abhakerobha - commonly called Wakiroba; Wasimbiti, Wakenye, nk.). The full name is actually "Omosoma (or 'Omusoma') ghwa Nyabhamba".

Musoma was hotly contested and witnessed many intra-tribal wars, particularly between the Wakabwa and their kins, the Wakiroba - who were second to arrive in the location after the Wakabwa. The Wakabwa brought in their allies, the non-Bantu Luo and were on the tip of winning the war. The Wakiroba turned to their allies, the Wakwaya but were still heading for defeat. Seeing the situation worsen, the Wakwaya and Wakiroba sought support from the Germans, who at that time had arrived in Mwanza but not yet conquered present day Mara. It was under severe attacks by the German Canons that the Wakabwa and their allies the Luo could be defeated and chased away from the area. A legacy of this war are several mass graves just outside Musoma, particularly in Nyabhange (now commonly called Nyabangi) in Kiroba Land. From that time on, the Wakiroba and Wakwaya became resident neighbors of Musoma, dominating its population for a very long time. Now Musoma is significantly cosmopolitan.

Also, the bond created with the Germans partly explains why the area became their provincial headquarters. The first headquarters of the Germans was established in Nyabangi, but - just like in the case of Bagamoyo on the Indian Ocean Coast, which was the first Capital of 'German East Africa' - it was abandoned due to shallow waters that made an unsuitable location for a harbour. Musoma became the new capital. Today, the old German 'Boma' is testimony to this history of Musoma.

Notable persons from Musoma and Mara[edit]

Musoma has produced many famous Tanzanians. Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, the father of the nation and de facto leader of its people from 1954 when he became Chairman of Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), attended Mwisenge Primary School in Musoma. So did Justice Joseph Sinde Warioba, the country's former Prime Minister and Vice President. In fact the student list of Mwisenge reads like a 'who is who' in Tanzania's first Republic: Joseph Warioba Butiku, Col. Selemani Kitundu, Moses Mang'ombe, and others.

Other senior politicians from Mara include Stephen Wassira, Makongoro Nyerere, Nimrud Mkono, and Gaudencia Kabaka.

Mara has also produced many top rank military leaders of the country, including three Chiefs of Defence Forces: Generals David Musuguri, Ernest Kyaro, and George Waitara. Other popular generals from Mara include Mwita Marwa, Christopher Gimonge, and Sylvester Ryoba. and list of retired ambassadors James Ndobho, Nimrud Rugoye and Professor Ambassador Joram Mukama Biswaro

Academic, writer and politician (former Minister) Abel Mwanga also hailed Swahili novel writer famous as Willy Gamba late Musiba from Musoma.

Mara has also produced several top notch academics. The list of senior academics from Mara include: - Economist professor Samuel Mwita Wangwe, professor Kohi, professor Bwatondi, and the late professor Paul Masyenene Biswalo.

From a younger generation, Sospeter Muhongo, Tanzania's first indigenous professor of Geology was born in Musoma. Mr. Muhongo has also practiced as a politician and minister. Francis Shasha Matambalya, Tanzania's first indigenous professor of international trade was also born in Musoma. He is a scholar of international repute in his area of specialization. Professor Ibrahim Juma, a judge with Tanzania's High Court also hails from Musoma.

Mara has also produced several top-notch athletes: Footballer Mohammed Bakari Tall (Simba and National Team), footballer Mbwana Samata (Simba, TP Mazembe, and National Team), footballer Amir Kiemba (Simba and National Team)Ally Mchumira (YAnga nad National Team), the Isangura Brothers (boxing, Olympians), Bhoke Matambalya (Jeshi Stars and national teams, basketball and netball), the late Feada Faru (Jeshi Stars and national teams, basketball and netball)Seleman Nyambui and Late Sulusi (National athletics )

Source: Masimulizi ya Historia ya Watu wa Mara. Mara Elders Meetings.