Fishermen warned against depleting Lake Edward
Mar 22, 2009
FISHING communities from Uganda and DR Congo who live on the shores of Lake Edward have been warned against depleting the lake of fish.
By John Nzinjah
FISHING communities from Uganda and DR Congo who live on the shores of Lake Edward have been warned against depleting the lake of fish.
“If this lake (Edward) is depleted of fish, the economic consequences will be so diverse that all of us, without discrimination and boundary, shall regret the impact,†said Tom Okello, a senior park warden at Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Okello was recently speaking at a workshop to discuss the challenges of indiscriminate fishing on Lake Edward at the Verina Gardens Hotel in Kasese town.
The workshop was attended by representatives of the governments of Uganda and DR Congo and members of the fishing communities on both sides of the lake.
It was organised by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Okello called for co-operation from the fishing communities, local governments and the public on both sides of the lake, urging them to work as a team to salvage the fish from depletion.
He told the fishing communities that the generations to come also had a right to enjoy the natural resources.
In his presentation, Maombi Katsongo from the DR Congo Fisheries Department described the challenges of depleting the lake as diverse.
He called for a joint work-plan by the governments of Uganda and DR Congo on how to control the fishing activities on the lake.
“Another challenge is that it appears we have so many authorities operating on the lake, which causes confusion. The number of fishermen is growing fast and the population in the fishing villages is also growing bigger each day,†Katsongo noted.
He called for the streamlining of the fishing management on both sides of the lake to control the fishing activities.
Kasese district secretary for works, environment and natural resources Selevano Mulhondi encouraged the Uganda Wildlife Authority to continue organising joint workshops and meetings to establish a continuous spirit of sharing.
FISHING communities from Uganda and DR Congo who live on the shores of Lake Edward have been warned against depleting the lake of fish.
“If this lake (Edward) is depleted of fish, the economic consequences will be so diverse that all of us, without discrimination and boundary, shall regret the impact,†said Tom Okello, a senior park warden at Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Okello was recently speaking at a workshop to discuss the challenges of indiscriminate fishing on Lake Edward at the Verina Gardens Hotel in Kasese town.
The workshop was attended by representatives of the governments of Uganda and DR Congo and members of the fishing communities on both sides of the lake.
It was organised by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Okello called for co-operation from the fishing communities, local governments and the public on both sides of the lake, urging them to work as a team to salvage the fish from depletion.
He told the fishing communities that the generations to come also had a right to enjoy the natural resources.
In his presentation, Maombi Katsongo from the DR Congo Fisheries Department described the challenges of depleting the lake as diverse.
He called for a joint work-plan by the governments of Uganda and DR Congo on how to control the fishing activities on the lake.
“Another challenge is that it appears we have so many authorities operating on the lake, which causes confusion. The number of fishermen is growing fast and the population in the fishing villages is also growing bigger each day,†Katsongo noted.
He called for the streamlining of the fishing management on both sides of the lake to control the fishing activities.
Kasese district secretary for works, environment and natural resources Selevano Mulhondi encouraged the Uganda Wildlife Authority to continue organising joint workshops and meetings to establish a continuous spirit of sharing.