The National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) is a semi-autonomous Public Agricultural Research Institute (PARI) of Uganda, established by the National Agricultural Research Act 2005, headed by a Management Committee and operating under the National Agricultural Research System (NARS). The British colonial Government established it in 1947 as the East African Fisheries Research Organisation (EAFRO). Later in 1960 the name of the Organisation was changed to the East African Freshwater Fisheries Research Organisation (EAFFRO). Following the East African Community (EAC) break up in 1977, the Government of Uganda took it over as the Uganda Freshwater Fisheries Research Organisation (UFFRO). When the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) was formed in 1992, the name of the organisation was changed to Fisheries Research Institute (FIRI), and later to Fisheries Resources Research Institute (FIRRI).

Mandate: As one of the established Public Agricultural Research Institutes, the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) is mandated to "generate the knowledge base and develop fisheries technologies for increased but sustainable fish production, conservation of the fisheries genetic resources, water quality and fish habitat, and to ensure product dissemination and quality, develop and manage research and required linkages with stakeholders".

Vision: A Center of excellence spearheading generation and dissemination of technologies in capture fisheries, fish farming and the water environment.

Mission: To empower fisher communities and fish farmers with information and knowledge to increase and sustain fish production systems and utilisation of aquatic systems to overcome poverty.

Goal: NaFIRRI’s goal is to contribute to poverty eradication, food security and conservation of the natural resource base by providing scientific knowledge that will be used to ensure increased and sustainable fish production and utilization; maintain a healthy and productive water environment, and provide people centered policies for increased and sustainable fish production.

Core Functions:

  • Generation of knowledge and technologies of strategic importance for the management, development and conservation of fisheries resources and water quality.
  • Establishment and management of the human, physical and financial resources of the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute.
  • Provision of technical backstopping and capacity building to Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Zonal Agricultural Research Institutes (ZARIs) and other agencies dealing in fisheries research and water quality.
  • Development and management of fisheries research information and ensuring collaboration with stakeholders.
  • Planning, monitoring and evaluation of all fisheries research programmes undertaken by the institute to ensure conformity with national research strategy.
  • Ensuring the quality of knowledge and technologies developed, multiplied and disseminated through uptake pathways.
  • Generation of periodic reports on fisheries and water quality research programmes to National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and other stakeholders.
  • Establishment of sustainable linkages and partnerships with local, Regional and International Research bodies.
  • Participation in problem identification and prioritization of fisheries research demands for the national research agenda.

Key Outputs :
  • Strategic fisheries technologies generated
  • Fisheries resources research knowledge base developed and established.
  • Identified and developed fisheries genetic resources that respond to market demand, environmental concerns and farming systems.
  • Monitored fisheries genetic banks.
  • Appropriate and timely technical support and capacity built for collaborators and stakeholders in fisheries research.
  • Fisheries research information system and management facilities developed and established.
  • Fisheries research findings documented and disseminated to uptake pathways.

Main lines of research and training activities :

fisheries

  • Fish biology and ecology
  • Stock assessment
  • Physico chemical conditions and algal dynamics.
  • Invertebrate food studies.
  • Aquatic plants and weeds.
  • Fish quality and safety.
  • Fisheries Socio-economics

Aquaculture research

  • Brood stock improvement and fry production.
  • Live and pelleted feed production.
  • Pond dynamics and management.
  • Fish parasites and diseases.
  • Socio-economics of aquaculture.

Prioritised Fisheries Research Areas For NaFIRRI

  • Appropriate Technology of Harvesting and preserving commercial species
  • Socio_economic status, marketing and impact assessment
  • Status of fish stocks and their exploitation
  • Development of appropriate methods of Information management and support for each research and fishery area
  • Status of aquatic Biodiversity
  • Status of Water Environment and Aquatic weeds

Impact Areas

  • Enhancing Productivity
  • Improved access to markets
  • Enhanced utilisation of research outputs
  • Improved management of sustained use of natural resources.