BUSITEMA UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

A REPORT ON FIELD ATTACHMENT AT ROCK SPRING FISH FARM IN BUIKWE

FROM JUNE TO AUGUST 2023

BY
NAME: AKENA SAM

REG. NO: BU/UP/2021/0586

FIELD ATTACHMENT REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF NATURAL
RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A DEGREE OF FISHERIES AND
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OF BUSITEMA UNIVERSITY
AUGUST 2023
DECLARATION

I Akena Sam hereby declare that this work presented herein is mine. It has therefore never

been submitted to any institution for any kind of award.

Signature ………………………... Date ………………………………

APPROVAL

This is to certify that Akena Sam underwent through a two months industrial training at Rock

Spring fish farm Buikwe District. He was under supervision and his report basing on the

University guide is acceptable for submission.

Signature……………………………. Date……………………………….

Mr. ASUMAN KIRUNDA AKASHA

(Field Supervisor) Lake Operation Supervisor at Rock Spring Fish Farm

Dr.TEBITENDWA SYLIVIE

(University Supervisor) Faulty of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences of Busitema

University
DEDICATION

With much gratitude, I do dedicate this piece of work to my beloved parent

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

My special thanks to the almighty God who offered protection and guidance throughout my

training, may glory be back to Him.

I extend my sincere appreciation to my field supervisor, Mr. Asuman Kirunda Akasha for his

tireless efforts put to ensure that I understood most practical aspects during training.

I thank the director of Rock Spring fish farm Mr. Samuel Olukana for offering me a placement to

conduct my internship.

I am so grateful to my University Supervisor Dr slyvi for guidance and the head of Department

of fisherse and water resource management of Namasagali campus Dr. Vianny Natugonza for all

the arrangements towards my internship programme.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge my fellow course-mates at Namasagali campus for the

spirit of togetherness, coordination and continuous encouragement

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

DECLARATION...........................................................................................................................................ii
APPROVAL.......................................................................................................................................................3
DEDICATION....................................................................................................................................................3
ACKNOWLEDGMENT......................................................................................................................................iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................................v
LISTS OF FIGUERES..................................................................................................................................vii
LISTSOF TABLES......................................................................................................................................viii
LISTS OF ABBREVIATION.........................................................................................................................ix
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................................x
CHAPTER ONE.............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of field attachment................................................................................................................1
1.2 Objective of field attachment....................................................................................................................1
1.3 Background of the organization.........................................................................................................2
Rock Spring fish farm in Buikwe district has its headquarters located in Amagoro B south zone of
Mudakori village, eastern division in Tororo district 6km from Malaba boarder. It started in October 2010
purposely for commercial aquaculture production aiming to exploit the immense opportunity created by
the widening fish supply demand gap in Uganda. The farm was to implement a well-designed business
plan executed by a team of experts in commercial aquaculture. The target of the farm was to produce at
least 2000 tons of fish per annum and generate at least 4million US$ from fish sales annually from fifth
year of implementation...............................................................................................................................2
1.3.1 Organizational culture.................................................................................................................2
1.3.2 Gender in the organization..........................................................................................................3
1.3.3 The structure of the organization................................................................................................4
1.3.4 The main activities of the organization.......................................................................................4
CHAPTER TWO............................................................................................................................................5
2.0 EXPERIENCE....................................................................................................................................5
2.1 position occupied in the organization................................................................................................5
2.2 Duties and responsibilities..................................................................................................................5
2.2.1 Orientation of internee.................................................................................................................5
2.2.2 Feeding of fish...............................................................................................................................5
2.2.3 Harvesting of fish.........................................................................................................................9
2.2.4 Changing of net bag...................................................................................................................12
2.2.4.2 Step taken during changing net..................................................................................................12
2.2.5 Installation of cages....................................................................................................................13
2.2.6 Transferring of fish..................................................................................................................13
 ..............................................................................................................................................................14
2.2.7 Stocking of fingerlings................................................................................................................14
2.2.8 Sampling of fish..........................................................................................................................14
2.2.9 Water quality monitoring..........................................................................................................16
2.3 Supervision level and relationship with the supervisor..................................................................19
2.4 work team and its composition by position and not individual name...........................................19
2.5 working relationship among team members and other staff.........................................................19
2.6 Authority level to the student...............................................................................................................19
CHAPTER THREE....................................................................................................................................20
3.0 EVALUATION OF FIELD ATTACHMENT.................................................................................20
3.1 level of accomplishment of duties and responsibilities...................................................................20
3.2 New knowledge and skill and skills gained in each of the duties and responsibilities..................20
3.3 Most interesting experience..............................................................................................................21
3.4 Relatedness to university taught programme to the field work.....................................................21
3.5 Challenges faced and how they were managed...............................................................................22
3.5.1 Challenges faced when at Rock Spring for industrial training...............................................22
3.5.2 How the challenges were managed............................................................................................22
3.6 Benefits derived from field attachment...........................................................................................22
3.7 Adequacy of the university preparing the student for field attachment.......................................23
3.8 preparedness of the organization to received and manage the student for field attachment.......23
CHAPTER FOUR...............................................................................................................................24
4.0 CONCLUSIONAND RECOMMENDATION................................................................................24
4.1 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................24
4.1.1 Strengths to the Field Attachment program............................................................................24
4.1.2 Weakness to the Field Attachment Program............................................................................25
4.2 Recommendations.............................................................................................................................25
4.2.1 To the Farm................................................................................................................................25
4.2.2 To the University of Busitema...................................................................................................26
REFERENCE..............................................................................................................................................27
APPENDICES.............................................................................................................................................28

vi
LISTS OF FIGUERES

vii
LISTS OF TABLES

viii
LISTS OF ABBREVIATION

ABW Average Body Weight

Dr Doctor

F Female

FWR Fisheries and Water Resources Management

JCE John Chrysostom Ekimwoire

M Male

Mr. Mister

RS Rock Spring

US$ United States Dollar

ix
ABSTRACT

Field attachment program intends to enable students gain the field based hands on knowledge to

fill the practical gap in lecture rooms. I was at Rock Spring Fish Farm (John Chrysostom

Ekimwire (JCE) branch) in Buikwe for my Industrial training and I was exposed to a variety of

aquaculture field based practical activities.

During internship, I got fully involved in most aquaculture activities. These included Stocking,

feeding, Fish sampling, Fish transfer, Harvesting, Sorting and grading of fish and Cage

management and maintenance. Although I encountered some challenges such as Poor network in

the area, long distance to the farm from the place of residence, strong waves on the lakes,

unreliable power, too much sunshine while in the field and inadequate equipment for use on the

farm. From these activities I gained much field practical skills experience through hands on

engagement in activities and I can now apply such skills in the future after the course. The

photos while conducting some of the activities are also included in the report.

I therefore conclude that the field attachment program was a life transforming experience in the

discipline of aquaculture. I gained a lot of experience during my internship period more so in

feeding, harvesting, grading, sampling of fish in cages and I recommend more time be added to

internship period, provision of safety gears to the students during internship by the University

and the farm should provide lunch if possible

x
CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background of field attachment

Field attachment is a field based training program set up for students to engage in various field

activities that are expected to be applicable in the respective programs undertaken. At Busitema

University, each student at every end of second year is required of undergoing through an

industrial training for a minimum of two months period. This intends to enable students to relate

the theory studied in the lecture rooms and the field based practical aspects.

I conducted my industrial training at Rock Spring Fish Farm; Buikwe District for a period of two

months from January to February 2023 where I was fully involved in various hands on activities

majorly on lake based aquaculture systems. This report highlights the activities I was engaged

in, gives an overview of the experiences, skills and new knowledge gained and provides the

general conclusion and suggested recommendations to Rock Spring Fish farm and to

Busitema University.

1.2 Objective of field attachment

The major objectives of the field attachment are outlined

herein;

To get exposed to various technologies in Fisheries and Water Resources Management

(FWR)

To gain the skills of time planning and management and critical thinking To acquire more

computation, communication and report writing skills To get team work skills and career

development

1
 To develop ethics, personal responsibility and problem solving skills

1.3 Background of the organization

Rock Spring fish farm in Buikwe district has its headquarters located in Amagoro B south zone of

Mudakori village, eastern division in Tororo district 6km from Malaba boarder. It started in

October 2010 purposely for commercial aquaculture production aiming to exploit the immense

opportunity created by the widening fish supply demand gap in Uganda. The farm was to

implement a well-designed business plan executed by a team of experts in commercial aquaculture.

The target of the farm was to produce at least 2000 tons of fish per annum and generate at least

4million US$ from fish sales annually from fifth year of implementation

1.3.1 Organizational culture

Rock Spring (RS) fish farm limited has its headquarters in Tororo district, Eastern Uganda and it

is a member of the Uganda Commercial Fish Farmers Association (UCFFA). Buikwe branch is

still developing and it is a lake based aquaculture farm which deals in only Nile Tilapia

(Oreochromis niloticus) producing fry, fingerlings and table size fresh fish. The main branch is a

land based farm dealing in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and African Catfish (Clarias

gariepinus) supplying fry, fingerlings and table size fresh fish.

The mode of delivery is local pick up by orders and no shipping

Vision

To be a model commercial fish farm in Uganda that promotes sustainable use of natural

resources for economic empowerment and development.

Mission

To have constant production and sale of farmed fish all year round.

Goal
2
 Objectives of Rock Spring fish farm.

1. To produce quality fry and fingerlings to commercial

farmers

2. To undertake dissemination services to interested local fish

farmers

3. To offer innovative contribution to the Uganda Commercial Fish Farmers

Association

4. (UCFFA)

5. To maintain a sounding land and lake based commercial

aquaculture.

Core values cherished by Rock Spring Fish Farm

Accountability, balance, safety, commitment, community, diversity, innovation,

integrity, ownership and respect above all.

1.3.2 Gender in the organization

Generally, there is unequal representation of gender in various positions for different roles at the

farm. For example at Buikwe branch, there are only two ladies who serve as service providers,

besides a t the headquarter, out of fifty employees only ten ladies in the positions of hatchery

Assistant, accountant assistant, canteen assistant and the general manager. Therefore, most of

the positions at the farm are taken up by males giving an approximate ratio of 1:5, F: M

respectively.

3
1.3.3 The structure of the organization

Figure 1 Organizational Structure of Rock Spring Fish Farm

1.3.4 The main activities of the organization

1. Commercial production of fresh table sized fish all year around.

2. Offering extension services in cage fish farming to farmers.

3. Commercial production of fingerlings

4. Cage fabrication

4
CHAPTER TWO

2.0 EXPERIENCE

2.1 position occupied in the organization

At Rock spring fish farm, I held a position of an internee under the field supervision of Mr.

Asuma Kirunda basically in the production section.

2.2 Duties and responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities engaged in throughout my internship period are

outlined hereunder, and summarized in Table 1.

Orientation of internees, feeding, Fish sampling, stocking of fingerlings, Harvesting, of fish

changing of nets transfer of fish water quality monitoring cage fabrication and Cage

installation

2.2.1 Orientation of internee

Since I was having little experience about the farm place, me and my fellow i internees from

Fisheries Training Institute Entebbe and some my collogues from makrerere was oriented

by the field supervisors

2.2.2 Feeding of fish

This is the process of applying feeds to the fish in the aquatic system to induce growth of fish from

fry to fingering, fingering to juvenile and juvenile to table size.

Fish was sampled to determine weight gain, Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) and growth rate to

guide adjustment of feed ration size

Feeds are provided to increase fish yield, and especially beneficial when fertilization is not

practiced, when fish are stocked at high density in a cage

5
Nile tilapia are omnivores i.e. they feed on both plants and animal.

Feeding starts at 9:00 when water temperatures have increased.

Feeding depends on the fish response i.e. quantity weighed can be fed on fish in 3-4 ratios and

more.

Quantity of feeds.

Feeding rates are adjusted on monthly basis by estimating the fish biomass (total weight of fish in

cage.

Here we caught small number of fish and weighed them. Using average weight of the sample to

multiply the number of fishes stocked to calculate the fish biomass in cage. Then feed them at 3-

5% of the biomass daily.

Sampled at least 100 fish per cage of fish randomly. Then used the following equation to estimate

the quantity of feeds required for daily ration.

F = (W*S*P)/I1000We*100 Kg/ha/day.

Where;

F = weight of feeds.

W = weight of fish.

S = stocking rate.

P= percentage body weight.

Feeding is carried out by a process called broadcasting i.e. throwing feeds into the cage by hands

on one spot with calculated number of runs

6
The advantage with this method is that I observed the behavior of the fish

We identified some signs of over feeding which included;

A foul smell in water when the bottom of the net is pulled. Wasted feeds are seen at the bottom.

Juveniles were being fed on powdered feeds or crumbles of at least 45% crude protein (CP) for 2

months to attain at least 15g

They were then transferred to production cages fed first on 2mm pellets of 35% CP for 2 months,

3mm pellets of 30% CP for 3 months, and finally 4-5 mm pellets of 20-25% CP for the rest of the

growth period.

Fish size Number of runs

1-10 8

10-30 6

30-70 4

70-above 3

Table 2: Showing runs taken with respect to fish size at RS

7
 Feed Feed size Fish size ( g)

Aler aqua Gr1 1-5

Gr2 5-10

Gr3 10-30

2mm 30-70

3mm 70-150

4mm 150-above

Aqua 2mm 30-70

3mm 70-150

4mm 150-above

Laguna 1.5mm 10-30

2mm 30-70

2.6mm 30-150

3mm 70-150

4mm 150-250

6mm 250-above

Table 1Table 1: Showing feeds at Rock Springs feed stores

Figure 1 feeding of fish

2.2.2.1 When not to feed.

1. After heavy rain.

2. Very poor water quality

3. Immediately after stocking

4. After grading

5. After sampling

6. After changing nets

7. After harvesting on that cage

2.2.2.2 Description of feed store at RS

1. Well ventilated

2. It has pallets on the flow

3. Roofed

4. Above the ground

Activities done in feed store at RS

1. Cleaning the store

2. Issuing feeds using first stock in stock out.

2.2.3 Harvesting of fish

This is the permanent removal of fish at Rock Springs this is done when fish attain the average

body weight of 250 and above.

9
2.2.3.1 Equipment used in harvesting

1. Baskets. For scooping fish.

2. Boat. Carrying fish

3. Seine net. For seining fish in the cage

4. Cloves to protect hands

5. Weighing scale

6. gumboots

2.2.3.2 Procedures used in harvesting

1. The inner net is pulled up and hooked on the frame then the fish moved up. For easy

seining

2. The cover is removed. For easy seining as in passing the net around.

3. Carefully using the scene net, fish is seined and collected at one point.

4. If much it’s reduced to prevent stress and mortality.

5. Using perforated baskets, fish is scooped and poured in the boat.

6. It is then transported to the sorting ground

7. The fish is scooped from the boat to sorting platform.

10
 Figure 2 harvesting of fish

2.2.3.3 Sorting and grading of fish

This is physical separation of big fish from small fish i.e. Big fish starts from 250g and small fish

below 250g .At rock spring fish farm this is done manually using the hand

2.2.3.4 Equipment used during sorting

1. Gam boots

2. Gloves

3. Basket

2.2.3.5 Steps

1. Protecting equipment are put on.

2. The big fish is first sorted out

3. The small fish remaining is then counted after

4. The fish is weighed and loaded in fridges for transportation using viechel

5. During sorting high quality hygiene

11
 6. The platform is then cleaned after loading the track

Figure 3 sorting of fish

2.2.4 Changing of net bag

2.2.4.1 Reasons for these activity.

1. Low oxygen in cages due to clogging net by algae

2. Mortality due to separation.

3. When the fish has increased the size.

4. If the response sign is poor for fish during favorable condition.

5. High mortality level

2.2.4.2 Step taken during changing net

1. Checking the new net for replacing.

2. Remove the old net on one side of the cage

3. Install new the nets half away.

4. Pull the fish in the old net towards the installed part of the new net. Then install fully the

new nets.

12
 5. Cover the cage

6. Allow fish to regain for 12hrs before you start feeding them.

2.2.5 Installation of cages

2.2.5.1 Equipment use

1. Buoys

2. Nets Frame

3. Sinkers

4. Anchor

2.2.5.2 Steps taken during cage installation

Check the frame if it is well made that is to say all buoys are deep, clamps are tight and repair if

damaged.

Fix the nets with ropes and hooks too.

1. Pull the sinker ropes and fix the sinkers

2. Fix the cover on the cages

3. connect the cage on the anchor on each side

2.2.6 Transferring of fish

At rock spring fish farm, when fingerlings attain an approximate average body weight (ABW) of

13g, the fish are transferred directly from the pre juvenile cages to grow out cages.

The major objective for this activity was to start rearing the fingerlings up to market size. The

equipment and materials were buckets and scoop nets.

13
Figuer3 transfer of fish

2.2.7 Stocking of fingerlings

This is the natural putting of juvenile fish into nursery cages.

The size of the fish ranges from 0.5-1.0g. It transported through pal aging bag and the process

starts with planning (pre stocking)

2.2.7.1 Procedure of stocking of fish

1. Prepare the cage ensuring it is free from debris and properly installed

2. Acquire juvenile from reputable supplier to avoid carrying diseased fingerlings

3. The fingerling are thereafter transported from their tank to the buckets in the boat which

contains natural water from the lake with salt added to help heal the wounds on the

fingerlings

4. The fish is thereafter transported to the cage and it is gently scooped from the basket and

poured to the cage

5. Monitor the fish

14
2.2.8 Sampling of fish

This is the process of collecting and analyzing representative sample of fish in the cage

For juvenile fish in nursery cage it done after every two week and for grow out it’s done after one

month

2.2.8.1 Tools used during sampling

1. Weighing scale

2. Book

3. Pen

4. Sein net

5. Cast net

6. Basket

2.2.8.2 Procedure of sampling fish in cages

1. Prepare the sampling equipment

2. Identify the sampling location for example the cage to be sample and the direction of wind

to help in easy casting if it is nursery cage

3. Pull the sinker and tie on the cage frame .this is done in order make the net bag be raise on

the water surface for easy seining and casting of fish

4. Catch the fish using the seine net or cast net depending on the size to be sample its then

placed in the basket with a known weight after tearing the weighing scale.

5. Records the weight of fish using the weighing scale and count the number while releasing

fish back to the cage using the pen and paper

6. The data is finally analyzed

15
2.2.8.3 Why sampling.

1. To assess the health of fish.

2. To identify the body weight of fish

2.2.8.4 Advantages of using seine net

1. Large samples can be obtained in relatively short time if the fishing conditions are

favorable.

2. Seine nets are relatively non-selective for certain sizes of fish.

2.2.8.5 Disadvantages of seines.

1. High cost and the number of personnel needed for its use.

2. Not all areas of the cage are accessible.

3. The morphology of the bottom in one of the most important of these conditions

2.2.9 Water quality monitoring

The water quality involves both physical and chemical parameters as described below;

2.2.9.1 Dissolved oxygen (Do)

This was got through placing the probe of oxygen meter in the cage and read the dissolved oxygen

levels on the oxygen meter.

The readings were taken mostly in the morning in the range of 6:00am-8:00am when the

temperatures are low in the afternoon between 1:00pm-9:00pm and finally in the evening at around

6:00pm when the temperatures are low.

DO is essential for aquatic life. A low DO (less than 2mg/l) would indicate poor water quality and

thus would have difficulty in sustaining many sensitive aquatic lives.

Fish require oxygen for respiration.

16
The levels of oxygen were varying in different cages i.e. decreasing from nursery cage due to the

following factor;

High stocking rate.

Excessive turbidity that will limit the amount of photosynthesis.

Large bloom of phytoplankton and zooplankton.

High water temperature.

Series of warm, cloudy and windless days.

The low dissolved oxygen can be lethal to aquatic life as I observed in most cases could die having

the following characteristics that show low dissolved oxygen;

Large fish are affected more than small fish.

Some fish died with their back arched, gills flared and mouth open.

Gasping of the remaining fish.

Fish swimming at the near surface.

Fish suddenly stop feeding.

Rapid change in water color to brown, black or grey.

2.2.9.2 Temperature

Water temperature was got through placing the temperature machine probe in water and the

temperatures were got through reading on the machine recorded in degrees centigrade.

The reading of temperature was taken in the morning, afternoon and evening.

17
Fish are cold blooded organisms and assume approximately the same temperatures as their

surroundings.

Why it was important to take temperature reading from morning to evening and the effect are

described below;

The temperature of the water affects the fish body activity, temperature shock, which cause. fish

stress or cause high mortality of fish.

Temperature also affects behavior, feeding, growth, and reproduction of all fish.

Temperature determines the type of fish to culture therefore it is master factor among

environmental factors affecting fish.

Temperature determines the amount of dissolved gases in the water.

2.2.9.3 PH

Is the degree of acidity or alkalinity of water? Is an indicator of the existence of biological life as

most of them thrive in quite narrow and critical Ph range?

The acidic or basic water disrupts the aquatic organism’s biochemical reactions which results into

killing of fish.

2.2.9.4 Factors which affect the cage water PH level.

Carbon dioxide production by aquatic organisms during respiration.

Carbon dioxide consumption by photosynthetic organism.

2.2.9.5 The effect of PH on fish.

Stresses the fish.

18
Low growth.

Increases insusceptibility of fish to diseases.

2.3 Supervision level and relationship with the supervisor

All the internees at the farm were supposed to be trained in various areas under close

supervision. I was under the field supervision of Mr. Asuman Kirunda and I experienced a

good working relationship with him. He was very interactive and willing to teach me all

the tasks more so in aspects where I had little clue about them.

2.4 work team and its composition by position and not individual name

There was high degree of team work amongst us the internees as we could join efforts together

to easily accomplish each assigned tasks and duties by the supervisor. In addition, we could

freely interact and work with the other staff (farm employees) such as the feeders, cage

fabricators among others. However, we were all under the close supervision of the production

and marketing manager who could be answerable to the general manager of the farm.

2.5 working relationship among team members and other staff

There was a very good working relationship with the fellow internees, the farm workers and

other support staff. The workers warmly welcomed us and could easily help in case of any

assistance whenever approached during our training.

2.6 Authority level to the student

I was authorized by my field supervisor to lead the Internees team throughout the training.

This is because I had reported a bit earlier before them and therefore I had got used to the farm

place and gained some little experience more than them.

19
CHAPTER THREE

3.0 EVALUATION OF FIELD ATTACHMENT

3.1 level of accomplishment of duties and responsibilities

All the duties and responsibilities assigned to me during my training we ideally accomplished

fully as required. This was as a result of good supervision by my field supervisor, my

commitment and willingness to learn more. In addition, maximum cooperation, coordination and

team work was instrumental for successful accomplishment of my duties and responsibilities.

3.2 New knowledge and skill and skills gained in each of the duties and responsibilities

The field attachment was very resourceful and a life transforming experience. I was able to gain

the following skills

Learnt how to sort and grade fish with minimal stress

Learnt basic techniques of transferring fish, developed the appropriate skills employed in fish

transfer.

20
I learnt pond seining when harvesting, Harvesting of fish in cages.

I gained new knowledge on cage bag cleaning, setting, checking and repair

Communication, management skills, group management and responsibility.

I learnt acclimatization process done when stocking fish, knowledge in fish handling

Got basic fish feed management skills, measuring and feeding according average body weight.

Learnt deferent sampling techniques

3.3 Most interesting experience

From an array of aqua cultural activities and duties involved, the following caught my

attention and were much interesting;

Feeding of both juvenile and grow out fish

Fish seining and sampling

Acclimatization of the fingerlings before stocking.

Cage net changing and installation

Cage bag sinkers and floaters installation

Pushing anchors on water

3.4 Relatedness to university taught programme to the field work

Generally, it was realized that most of the theory taught in the lecture rooms is highly applicable

in the real life field activities. Having got some theoretical background from the lectures majorly

aquaculture related course units such as aquaculture, aquaculture system engineering, fish health

and predator control and fish quality control & safety. Some of the activities therefore seemed

not to be new to me such as feeding, sorting and grading, sampling and harvesting thus

21
easing the training during assigned tasks and duties. In addition I got to practically realize

that more than 50% of the costs at commercial fish farm go to feeds.

3.5 Challenges faced and how they were managed

3.5.1 Challenges faced when at Rock Spring for industrial training.

Unreliable hydropower at the farm premises could make charging of electronic gadgets

difficult.

1. Too much sunshine while in the

field

2. Inadequate equipment for use on the

farm

3. Poor network in the

area

4. Long distance to the farm from the place of

residence

5. Strong waves on the lakes could be challenging in making lake operations

difficult

3.5.2 How the challenges were managed

1. I could try to wake up very early to catching up with

time

2. I had to buy a stronger power bank to help in powering my

gadgets

22
 3. Acquisition of a hat to protect myself from strong sunshine while in the

field

3.2 The farm had to emphasize the improvising on the available few equipment

3.6 Benefits derived from field attachment

1. In depth understanding of proper fish management in cage culture which gave me

an inspiration in cage fish farming.

2. Exposure to different people which created a chance for social

networking.

3. Team work and management

skills.

4. Report writing

skills.

5. Organizational and punctuality

skills.

6. I also learnt the skills of working with different gender and ethnic

groups.

3.7 Adequacy of the university preparing the student for field attachment

The University adequately provided us with the necessary theory in Fisheries and Water

Resources management and created an opportunity to fill up the gap in practical hands on

activities in the recess term period and during internship.

23
3.8 preparedness of the organization to received and manage the student for field attachment

It’s the Farm’s culture to create some room for internees who would always wish to train with

Rock spring fish farm. The farm was ready to receive me, the production manager and other

workers really gave me a warm welcome. Besides the farm had a lot of aquaculture related

activities good for exploring in practical aspects in the first time, the field supervisor had to draft

24
CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 CONCLUSIONAND RECOMMENDATION

4.1 Conclusion

The internship program was a life transforming experience. I got an in-depth understanding of

areas learnt in the lecture rooms through applying it to the practical experience in the field. I was

too much exposed to Nile Tilapia production under a lake based production system (cages) at

Rock Spring Fish Farm in Buikwe where I learnt the basic cage management practices, feeding

and fish handling. In addition, I gained teamwork, career development and various innovation

skills for application in fisheries sector. For this reason therefore, the internship program at

Busitema University should be highlighted as one of the elementary necessities during the study

period to assist students generate hands on skills within the working environment that can be

applied in problem solving in Fisheries Sector.

4.1.1 Strengths to the Field Attachment program

1. Sufficient time was provided for the students to interact with their field supervisors and

other staff of respective sections.

2. The University provided us with the necessary guidelines to follow and adhere to while in

the training

3. The field supervisor drafted a work plan for the duties and activities to be engaged in for

smooth flow of duties

4. The exposure and interaction with different employees and the internees at Rock Spring

Fish Farm enabled me to improve on my team work, innovations, planning and

management skills.

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5. Busitema University also provided us with the internship report writing format templates as

guides for which students had to follow in report writing.

4.1.2 Weakness to the Field Attachment Program

1. Due to the fact that Rock Spring Buikwe branch had just started and thus still under

development, there was no proper structures at the farm.

2. The working equipment and materials at the farm were insufficient such as engine boats,

life jackets, fish handling equipment etc.

3. The farm is specialized in only Nile Tilapia, so exploring in other species such as African

Catfish production was missed out

4. The farm has limited employees which led to too much work in the field especially feeding

fish in the cage.

5. Scanty sources of historical literature about Rock Spring Fish Farm, which made report

writing a bit challenging.

4.2 Recommendations

4.2.1 To the Farm

 There should be improvement and addition of structures at the farm in

Buikwe. More working equipment should be added to ease activities

 The Rock Spring fish farm should advocate for the rehabilitation of the roads

connecting to the farm.

 More protective gears such as life jackets and mark buoys should be availed.

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4.2.2 To the University of Busitema

 The University should make the Field attachment be conducted at every end of first and

second year since only conducting it once seems not to be sufficient

 The University should also introduce in the policy of giving the students some funds to

facilitate them during the training.

 The university should maintain the policy of helping the students in looking for the

internship placements.

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REFERENCE

1. Busitema University 2023-2023 Internship Report Writing template guide.

2. Rock Spring Farm historical profile, 2019.

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APPENDICES

Appendix 1 circular cages

Appendix 2 net checking and repair

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 Appendix 3 cage fabrication

Appendix 4 sampling of fish

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