Minister calls for Uganda, DRC dialogue on fishing

KAMPALA, September 5, 2024 – Uganda’s State Minister for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa has called for more dialogue between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding fishing on lakes Albert and Edward. The two lakes are shared by both countries.

The minister made the call during the just-concluded 3rd Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of Lake Edward and Albert Fisheries and Aquaculture Organisation [LEAFAO] in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC]. She explained that there is a need to strengthen regional cooperation, collaboration, and capacity building for fisheries management units to promote sustainable fishing practices.

Uganda, and the DRC have had several skirmishes on the said lakes, where several fishermen from either side have been roughed up by the security forces of either state.

Adoa said the enhanced capacity building for fisheries management units in the two countries would be a first approach to the dialogue. She said this would promote sustainable fishing practices and address environmental concerns in the fisheries operations.

The minister noted that to have sustainability, there is a need for the Directorate of LEAFAO to develop resource mobilisation strategy in order to increase funding for improved fishing activities.

“To address challenges affecting, LEAFAO, we must develop a resource mobilisation strategy to increase funding for activities, strengthen enforcement mechanisms for fisheries regulations in both lakes and foster dialogue between the fishing communities in these countries,” she said.

Adoa also handed over the leadership of LEAFAO to Congolese counterpart, calling for efforts to strengthen enforcement mechanisms for fisheries regulations in the two lakes to curb illegal fishing that is said to threaten the fish stocks.

“As the outgoing Chairman of LEAFAO, I am pleased to inform you that efforts are already in place to improve fishing on the two lakes through dialogue to enhance resource sharing,” she said.

Some of the key challenges faced by LEAFAO include enforcing fisheries regulations, conflicts between the fishing communities from the two countries prompting frequent arrests by the armies of either country.

Over the years, several cases of torture have been reported on the two lakes, where Uganda People’s Defence Forces [UPDF] Fisheries Protection Unit [FPU] personnel have often roughed up Congolese fishermen, while the reverse is true for the Ugandan fishermen once arrested by Congolese armed forces.

https://thecooperator.news/32-cases-of-illegal-fishing-registered-in-lango-in-three-months/

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