Production Functions for Nile Perch and Tilapia Fisheries: A Case Study of Uganda’s Section of Lake Victoria

In this study we seek to explain the determinants of catches for the Nile perch and tilapia fisheries of Uganda’s section of Lake Victoria. Production functions are estimated from data collected from a survey of 100 boats engaged in fishing of Nile perch, and 150 boats fishing tilapia, in 3 districts along Lake Victoria. A restricted Translog production function specification without complementary terms was found to be the appropriate functional form for both fisheries. Results showed that the elasticities of catch with respect to the variable components of effort were quite small, and that fishing units were operating under decreasing returns to scale.