There are 11 fishing villages all of which connect to the region's main roads that pass straight through QENP. With legal access across the park and now improved communications (mobile phones), poachers are able to monitor ranger movements along the roads and in their ranger posts. The Waterways project will reduce poaching capabilities (policing of the bushmeat trade, ivory trafficking and illegal fishing) in the Southern Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area and will protect wildlife and their habitats through facilitating water borne law enforcement, research and community conservation. The installation of ranger boat stations and the use of boats in QENP will have an enormous impact on the ability of law enforcement to reverse QENP's poaching problem. Rangers now have the ability to be deployed by boat eliminating long driving distances. Rangers can also be deployed anywhere along the shore line, silently and without detection. In addition many poachers and wildlife traffickers are thought to be moving dried meat and animals completely unchallenged through the waterways where they then liaise with vehicles. Rangers in boats prevent this illegal activity forcing poachers to travel the lengthy and hazardous land route. The Waterways project has also initiated a 'marine operations' capacity building programme, providing the means by which wildlife monitoring and research can take place. A 'Lake Rescue' program as also been initiated as a new community service program.

IEF funding supports construction of a boat station, purchase of a boat, maintenance and training.