The Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU on Sunday destroyed 1,132 illegal
fishing nets along Bwondha landing site in Mayuge district.
The illegal nets comprised 1,044 beach seines and 88 monofilament
nets which they say have been depleting the lake of all its’ fish
species. Half of the destroyed illegal fishing nets were captured in a FPU
operation which was carried out in the past three weeks.
Philip Musisi, a fisherman, says the suspension of FPU led to the
increase in illegal fishing activities along with Lake Victoria.
“Ever since FPU suspended its’ operations in November last year,
several fishermen resorted to using illegal fishing gears on the lake which has
since contributed to the reduction of fish resources as most breeding areas
were destroyed in the process,” he says.
Badru Mukwana, the chairperson of Nalubabwe A village in Bwondha
town council says that several youths who have been deriving their livelihoods
from the lake have been rendered jobless which he claims might lead to an
increase in the cases of crime within their area.
Mukwana argues that the government should extend soft loans to the fishermen
who have been evicted from the lake due to the use of illegal fishing equipment.
//cue in: “nga nze…
Cue out…emirimo,”.
Christopher Katembeya, the FPU commandant in the districts of Jinja and
Mayuge says that, despite registering remarkable success in these operations,
they are faced with a challenge of disapproval from some fishermen who attack soldiers
on duty.
