Lira City, September 3, 2024 – At least 32 cases of illegal fishing were registered in Lango Subregion in May, June, and July, according to the area police.
Patrick Jimmy Okema, the North Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson during a recent media briefing in Lira City told journalists that 14 cases, 2 cases, and 16 cases of illegal fishing were registered in May, June, and July, respectively.
He attributed the crimes to groups such as fishermen, fishmongers, and transporters from the districts surrounding lakes of Kyoga and Kwania and other districts in Lango Sub-region, and outside the region such as Nakasongola, Buyende, Kalaki, and Serere among others.
“The offences relate to disobedience by some fishing groups that don’t want to follow the established law. They are using the fishing nets and methods prohibited. There is an aspect of catching immature fish. Some operate without licenses, and some fishermen still poison fish [cyanide fishing],” Okema said.
Okema said the illegal activities on the lakes violate the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2022, which among others provides for the conservation, sustainable management, utilisation, and development of the fisheries sector.
Okema said some of the cases are before the Resident State Attorney for legal advice. “Others [cases] must have gone to court, others are pending investigation,” Okema said.
When contacted for a comment, Bernard Otim, Dokolo Fishery Officer said that a good number of fishermen in the district have adhered to the law by using the recommended fishing gear, although he said the existence of weeds [water hyacinth] on some lakes is another challenge that must be addressed as they affect fishing.
“The number of registered fishermen who are using the right size of boats and fishing nets are about 300, although there are those still using illegal fishing gear. The weeds in the lake are also destroying the fishing nets,” explained Otim.
He however said his department continues to sensitise local leaders around the landing sites about the law regulating fishing in the country so they can in turn sensitise their communities about the same law.
“We are doing our part by sensitising the local leaders around the landing sites about the law and we also help the fishermen to acquire licences,” he said.
Meanwhile, Francis Opio Obote, Chairperson of Juba Fish Traders Association in Amolatar district said, “We follow the law and it is the Fisheries Protection Unit [FPU] that gives us guidelines on how to carry out fishing, especially by using the right fishing gear,” he said.
However, Obote said some people are engaged in fishing illegally as they don’t possess licences, but also use illegal fishing gear. These are the ones being arrested by the FPU,” he said.
In Uganda, fisheries are critical for livelihoods and food security, as well as being an important export for the country. However, overfishing and other issues like water pollution pose a significant risk to the sector. Nile Tilapia [Oreochromis niloticus] and Nile perch [Lates niloticus] are the most common fish species in Uganda. Other fish types include spat, catfish, and silverfish.
https://thecooperator.news/fpu-embarks-on-sensitisation-of-communities-against-illegal-fishing/
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