The project area for the LEAF pilot project are Lakes Edward and Albert, which are rift valley lakes shared by the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Uganda. Lake Edward is situated at an altitude of 916 m whose western border are the Mitumba - Kyavirimu mountain range (3,117m). The lake is 90 km long and 40km wide. Its average depth is estimated at 34m (near Ugandan shoreline), with a maximum of 117 m towards the Congolese side. Lake Edward basin is about 12,000 square kilometers. The Semliki River is the only outlet with its Rwindi- Rutshuru tributaries. The lake is enclosed by two national parks, the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in Uganda and the Virunga National Park (PNVI) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Lake Albert on the other hand is situated at an altitude of 618 m. It is 160 km long and 35 km wide. It is relatively shallow with an average depth of 25 m and a maximum of 58m towards the Congolese border. The lake receives water from Lake Edward through the Semliki River in the south and from the Nile River in the north. The Lake is rich in plankton and primary production is high, though the presence of blue-green algae (Anabaena) causes in some places anoxic conditions resulting in considerable mortality of the Nile Perch.