Fisheries state minister Hellen Adoa wants the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) to explain reports of civilians wearing the unit's uniforms and terrorizing fishers on landing site communities.

FPU, a marine section of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), was formed by President Yoweri Museveni in January 2017 to mitigate and end illegal fishing practices on Ugandan water bodies and protect the dwindling fish stocks.

Adoa says the act is criminal and must stop. She cautioned the unit's soldiers who are allegedly conniving with these people to stop immediately before the long arm of the law gets to them.

Adoa made the call on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, while addressing the media about the ongoing issues concerning the fisheries sector at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.

The minister has also directed that the mukene fishers go back to the lake saying she only stopped the illegal mukene fishers using crude means. 

Adoa said last month, she banned the Hurry Up method of fishing to protect other young fish species including the young Nile Perch, Nile Tilapia and all the three species of silverfish.

She said she has received complaints from leaders from the districts of Kalangala, Mayuge and Buikwe and some leaders from the northern region.

Following her directive, reports indicate that about 50 fishermen have so far been arrested, tortured, their boats and tools confiscated by members of the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) with claims that fishing of mukene was banned.