Minster threatens to close fish landing sites for 6 months

State Minister for Fisheries, Ruth Nankabirwa has threatened to close all fish landing sites in the two hundred and ten small and big lakes across the country so that the fish mature and multiply faster.
Nankabirwa said , “ If the fishers and fish dealers remain adamant and persist in trading in immature fish, I have no option but to implement the instruction from above to stop fishing activities for six months.” She was addressing a mammoth gathering mainly comprising of fishing communities at Kayei landing site, Apac district on Wednesday (23/11/2011).

The Minister set on fire over 1000 undersize fishnets and other illegal fishing gears, worth more than sh20Million. The fishing gears included Taikundu, Kokota and tupa-tupa nets.
She noted that the illegal fishing gears are like Lords Resistant Army (LRA) rebels who could indiscriminately destroy human beings in the north, “These mass destructive nets do not have mercy for fish generations!” minister observed.
Nankabirwa urged stakeholders to jointly fight illegal fishing activities.   She implored police, Beach Management Units to join efforts with district and subcounty officials in curbing the vice. “Unless Ugandans wake up and heartedly fight the vice, our water bodies will remain without some fish species or all will be wiped out,” minister decried.

“Even when you go to a market and find immature fish being sold, report to police to take action immediately against the culprit,” she advised. She promised to deploy anti-illegal fishing squads in all the lakes and rivers to fight the vice. “The squads, stuffed with police, will even reach out in homes and markets to stamp out the unacceptable practice,” she revealed.
She noted that fishing industry which used to bring to the country billions of shillings through exports and others has been drastically reduced. “Days of illegal trading in fish are numbered,” Nankabirwa said.
She warned illegal fishing policy enforcers against extorting money from culprits or re-selling impounded nets. “Report such unscrupulous people to my office and district leaders for deterrent action,” she said.
Kwania Member of Parliament (NRM), Tonny Ayo cautioned fishermen who live on sudds(floating islands) to leave lest they face forceful evictions.”As leaders and stakeholders of today, we cannot just sit and look on as the fishing industry dwindles to almost a zero level,” Ayo said.

Ayo noted that NAADS and NUSAF2 activities would procure legal fishing nets for fishing villages. “Be in groups and express demands for funds for the required size nets and canoes,” he said.
He advised fishermen using the acceptable gears to report the illegal ones to authorities for action.
Resident District Commissioner, Dauda Kasibante pledged to support the fight against illegal fishing both at lake shores, on roads and in markets through causing arrests and effective sensitization drives.