Researchers raise new concerns over water quality in Lake Victoria's bays

Researchers monitoring sheltered bays on the lake say oxygen levels have dropped more often during the warmest months, a pattern linked to nutrient runoff and algal blooms.

What the readings show

Low oxygen does not mean the whole lake is in decline. The effects are concentrated in shallow, enclosed bays where water moves slowly and runoff collects.

Fishing communities in those bays report smaller catches in the affected months, though researchers caution that catches also depend on fishing pressure and season.