Kasese set for cage fish farming

John Nzinjah

Kasese District Local Government has started training communities living along lake shores in cage fish farming as a way of reducing pressure on the lakes in the area.

The principal district fisheries officer, Julius Baluku, said cage farming will help individuals to practice commercial fishing without affecting the lakes.

In an interview on Monday, Baluku said cage fish farming would also reduce on the irresponsible harvest of immature fish, which was rampant in Lakes Edward and George.

He said the district local government has availed a volunteer, Danny Sieg from the Philippines, who has already started training members of the Beach Management Units on how to construct and manage the cages.

To pilot the project, three demonstration centres are to be established in Katunguru fish landing site, Kasenyi along Lake George and Kayanzi along Lake Edward.

Commenting about the venture after visiting the training site at Katunguru fish landing site along the Kazinga Channel on Friday, Kasese district LC5 vice chairperson, Tadeo Muhindo, said he had been convinced that cage fish farming will increase on fish production.

He noted that the venture if it succeeds will help in curbing fish depletion in Lakes Edward and George where immature fish catching is rampant.

Sieg, who has been in Hoima district conducting similar training for the communities along Lake Albert, said a farmer could rip 1.2 tones of fish from a single cage each harvest.