SilverFish Association call for protection

Nov 28, 2021

The fishermen and traders also appealed to Parliament to provide deterrent measures against foreigners who trade in fishing activities on different water bodies within Uganda’s boundaries.

Mary Begumisa, the vice chairperson of Parliament committee on agriculture said they want to make a law that is favourable to all the fishing community. (Credit: John Odyek)

John Odyek
Journalist @New Vision

SILVER | FISH | PARLIAMENT 

Members of the SilverFish Association have called for proposed safe and sustainable fishing methods to be incorporated in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, 2020.

They have also called for equal protection like those catching big fish under the proposed Bill. 

They complain that they are being marginalised because they are catching small fish.

The fishermen and traders also appealed to Parliament to provide deterrent measures against foreigners who trade in fishing activities on different water bodies within Uganda’s boundaries.

In their proposal regarding the Bill, the fishermen said that the pressure from fishermen from neighbouring countries makes it hard for them to reap dividends from the trade.

The members of the association from Buvuma Island have expressed fear that the Bill recognises those who catch big fish species such as Nile Perch, Tilapia and those catching small fish species such as the silverfish (mukene) are not allowed to talk on fish issues.

The members of the association appeared before Parliament’s committee on agriculture, animal industry and fisheries to give their views on the Bill. 

The object of the Bill is to consolidate and reform the law relating to the management of fisheries, fisheries products and aquaculture.

There are many challenges and emerging issues in the regulation and management of the fisheries sector which are not addressed under the current law, including overcapacity, invasion of water bodies by aquatic weeds, limited support and investments in aquaculture. 

There are institutional challenges, excessive fishing pressure, and destructive fishing malpractices, growth in illicit fish trade in immature fish, increasing local fish demand and decreasing per capita fish consumption.

Silverfish is a delicacy for some Uganda as it provides human protein, animal and poultry feed. 

The mukene sector employs many Ugandans and generates tax revenues.

Mary Begumisa, the vice chairperson of Parliament committee on agriculture said they want to make a law that is favourable to all the fishing community.

“The law should be favourable to those fishing small or big fish, those with small or big capital. The law will come up with specifications for the different sizes of fishing nets. There are different water levels and they cannot have the same type of fishing nets,” Begumisa (Sembabule) said, Saturday.

James Lusembo, the chairperson of the association, said that the Bill proposed to gazette fishing areas but if it is not carefully done it might block out the small fishing communities those catching mukene.

Lusembo cited Clause 136 (2) b that talks of gazetting breeding areas and closed seasons (when mukene fishing stops). He said that silverfish catching is a seasonal fishing activity in different areas of the lakes.

Lusembo proposed that there should be gazetting areas for fish breeding for all the fish species. 

He asked that fishers who stay away from deep waters be allowed to continue working within non-reserved areas.

He suggested that silver fishing be done two kilometers away from the shoreline to avoid getting into fish breeding areas. 

On the measurement of the silverfish fishing net, he suggested that the net should not exceed 20meters in width to allow fishing in deep waters.

He explained that the use of fishing nets below 20 meters in width will force fishers to fish in shallow waters. He added that deep waters such as a net will not balance the waves on the lake.

He recommended that the mesh size of the silver fishing net be between seven to eight millimeters the reason being that the mature silverfish do not grow up to the size of 10 millimeters.

Lusembo asked that the pressure lamps should on fishing boats not exceed six. 

He explained that the silverfish are attracted to light and too much light can lead to overfishing.

Moses Kabuusu (Kyamuswa County) explained that the proposed representation of the private sector should have representation from all fishers of all fish species, both the big and small fish.

Kabuusu said fish cross the borders and when Ugandans are caught across the border they are treated harshly by authorities from the neighbouring countries.

Kabuusu noted that Ugandans employ fishers from Rwanda and Tanzania to operate their fishing boats but sometimes they disappear or steal the boats and fish. 

He said that when the Ugandans attempt to pursue them across the borders they get arrested.

Kabussu said the fishing communities want the activities of the army in supervising the fishing sector to be monitored and guided.

He said that the EAC should have joint mechanisms and uniform laws across the lakes.

Joshua Munduni, secretary general of the association said they want the licenses of sh175, 000 per year on boats to be removed as they pay taxes on fuel when they buy fuel. He said a boat uses 40 liters of petrol in a night which is about sh200, 000.

Munduni said the penalties in the law such as seven years of imprisonment or a fine of between sh100m to sh200m are too high and will lead to high levels of bribery and corruption. 

They called for a reduction of the penalties to minimize corruption.

Munduni proposed that the taxes charged on foreigners for fishing in the country should be higher than that of the locals. 

He explained that in the neighbouring countries Ugandan fishers are taxed highly or penalized if caught fishing.

“We are not refusing foreigners to participate in fishing but they should be taxed differently from the locals,” Munduni said. 

He proposed that boats for catching silverfish should be 25 feet and not 28 feet and the fishing be 14 meters and not meters. He said the proposed make it difficult for the low-income fishers and increasing sizes will force the fishers to go deeper and further to catch the silverfish.

Lusembo proposed that in areas designated for fishing and breeding there should be acceptable methods and penalties on fishing.

“We propose designated areas for fish spawn or breeding areas of all fish species and allow fishers who stay far away from deep waters to keep working within non-reserved areas,” he said.

Fish spawning is the most common way for fish to reproduce when the female lays her eggs in the water. 

The male then fertilizes as many eggs as it can. 

The association also proposes lenient penalties and fines in the Bill to avoid tendencies where the offenders opt to bribe the authorities.

The association said that in Uganda both foreigners and local fishers are subjected to the same amount of taxes yet countries like Tanzania and Kenya have a protectionist policy for their native communities which demands foreigners to pay higher charges through fishing permits.

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