Kiganda Ssonko
3 January 2008
Kampala — FISHING of immature fish on Lake Victoria is on the rise again, the chairman of the Uganda Integrated Fish Suppliers Association, Ponsiano Lwakataka, has said.
Lwakataka said the practice, which is common in Masaka, was being perpetrated by mainly security agencies and politicians.
He said the Government should fight the anomaly because it puts the fishing industry, one of Uganda's biggest foreign exchange earners, at risk.
"The fish sector is under threat. Fishing of young fish that was successfully fought by Brig. Elly Kayanja's Operation Clean in 2005 has now hit a climax. The lake has run short of fish, driving the sector into low productivity," Lwakataka told a press conference in Kampala.
He said security personnel from the Regional Internal Security Organisation in Masaka and politicians protect the culprits who have a ready market in DR Congo.
"Some members of these groups cover up the wrongdoers by taking huge bribes from them to prevent them from being arrested. Cases are many at Ddimu, Namirembe and Kasensero landing sites, where container trucks park, load and head straight to DR Congo. When we complain, the security people intimidate us and have even arrested some of our members after tramping cases of robbery and murder against them."
"In 2007, it was agreed that no processor could buy fish below 16 inches. The resolution still stands and has helped us eliminate wrong elements."
However, Lwakataka said the decision not to buy the immature fish had prompted the fishermen to resort to DR Congo where over 10 tonnes of immature undocumented and untaxed fish are exported everyday.
Lwakataka said because of the fish shortage in the lake, five out the14 fish factories had closed whereas others are producing below capacity.
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