Immature fish trade booms in Congo

trueLake Victoria is under threat and the very people this natural resource is supposed to serve are the ones threatening its existence. Until World Environment Day, June 5, in a campaign dubbed Save Lake Victoria, Vision Group media platforms will run investigative articles, programmes and commentaries highlighting the irresponsible human activities threatening the world’s second largest fresh water lake.

By Goodluck Musinguzi

Despite efforts by Ugandan authorities to curb the catching of immature fish from Lake Victoria, it still finds its way to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) markets.

Every Monday and Tuesday, hundreds of Congolese businessmen and women flock to Bunagana border on the Congo side to buy immature fish. The preferred species is silver fish (cyprinid) popularly known as mukene, or dagaa or omena, if you like.

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Immature fish impounded at marine unit headquarters, Kigo in Wakiso

Because fish is scarce, there is usually a scuffle as businessmen and women fight to pay, lest they miss after travelling long distances.

This immature fish is sold along Bunagana-Goma road by Congolese and Ugandan businessmen who own stores.

Jamil Munyaneza, a businessman says there are several stores at the border that stock the immature fish from Kasenyi landing site on Lake Victoria.

“While we get mukene from other small lakes in Uganda, it’s mostly supplied from Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga”.

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Security officials load a lorry with impounded immature fish which was earlier destined for Congo

He says fish is a delicacy in Congo and its demand is so high that business people continue to travel long distances from inland towns and risk being arrested for buying the immature delicacy.

A trader who preferred anonymity explains that they can supply more than 100 bags at every market day. He said a 70kg-bag of mukene costs $100 (about sh265,000) but costs more when transported to Goma and other towns in North Kivu province.

“The price can go higher depending on the demand, but traders cannot go below $100,” he says.

He says they have devised several tricks of out-smarting the Police who have set up road blocks on major routes in western Uganda.

But he declines to reveal these tricks though admits that smuggling immature fish to Congo is a very expensive process.

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Catching of immature fish, like this impounded at Gaba landing site, remians a problem in the fishing industry.

When pressed harder for details, all he can divulge is: “I lose a lot of money when the fish is impounded, so most times we bribe our way out from the lakes to the border”.

Asked why he cannot trade in other species of fish, the trader says other fish are expensive as a 70kg-bag costs $350 (about sh927,000) at Bunagana.

At a restaurant in Bunagana town, a plate of fish and chips is $5 (about sh12,000). They however don’t serve mukene.

Ahmed Doka, the Kisoro Resident District Commissioner, says immature fish could be smuggled into Congo via porous points at border.

He promised that they [authorities] will be more vigilant.

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Impounded fish that was bound for Kasese, in western Uganda.

Haji Sulaiman Kibuuka, the fisheries operations officer of south-western Uganda, says the fish is always found on passenger buses heading to Kisoro district and most times passengers deny ownership.

He pledges that they will step up the fight to make sure Ugandan lakes are not depleted.

Do you have any views on how to save Lake Victoria? Write to the Features Editor, P.O. Box 9815, Kampala or email: features@ newvision.co.ug or call 0312-337000

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