UPDF to patrol fish-producing water bodies

By Prossy Nandudu 

GOVERNMENT is considering the use of UPDF reserve forces to monitor and enforce laws on the major fish-producing water bodies in Uganda, minister of State for Fisheries, Ruth Nankabirwa has revealed.

 The move is aimed at increasing fish stocks in fishing communities.

“As far as monitoring and enforcement is concerned, we cannot do without an armed force. We are already discussing between the UPDF reserve force and Police force on the pay-roll of public service to help in the process,” Nankabirwa explained.

The force should be able to patrol the water bodies to assist the ministry arrest those still engaged in illegal fishing and use of illegal fishing methods.

It is estimated that Uganda has lost revenue worth 450 million dollars through fish exports in the last four years.

Nankabirwa was officiating at a workshop for small-scale fishers and civil society organized by World Forum of Fish Workers and Fish harvesters, aimed at developing guidelines for small-scale fisheries at Pope Paul Memorial center.

The executive director, World Forum of Fish Workers and Fish Harvesters, Margaret Nakato Lubyayi, explained that the outcomes of the meeting will help in the formulation of international guidelines on small-scale fisheries by the committee on world fisheries in the Food and Agriculture Organization.

The instruments in form of voluntary guidelines will ensure that small-scale fisheries are protected and the livelihoods of small-scale fishers.

“The guidelines will ensure that small-scale fisheries are protected and recognized and becomes more productive,” said Lubyayi.

“We want to tell people that this is a job that employs many people and majority are women. And because is another form of employment, women with low skills can easily find employment in fishing,” she observed.