Depleting fish stocks will hurt revenue collections- experts

By Patrick Jaramogi

Experts have warned that unless drastic measures are taken up by Government to curb on indiscriminate fishing, the sector would cease being Uganda’s second foreign exchange earner.

This year alone (2012), the country has earned $136m in fish exports, putting the sector the second highest foreign exchange earner.

But this is set to drop due what experts in the industry have described as ‘continuous massive’ fishing in the country’s waters.

Uganda s fish exports declined by 32% in 2009, heightening alarm over the country’s dwindling stocks.

Exports touched a high of 39,000 tonnes in 2005 and have since then been dropping annually.

They pronounced their views at a Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) organized fish sustainability workshop held at the Silver Springs Hotel Kampala on Thursday.

‘Enough is enough. Government needs to act fast to save the depleting fish resources and ensure better fishing practices,” said Prof. Maggie Kigozi a consultant at United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Kigozi who served as Executive director at Uganda Investment Authority for over 10 years said people are putting much emphasis on oil yet it will be used up soon.

“This oil is set to last a few years, but hear all the farce about it, yet we have a natural resource that can last for ages.  We need to do more to bring on board all the various stakeholders to ensure sustainability of the fishing industry,” she said.

She pointed out that Illegal gear usage is increasing in Uganda. “A policy on zero tolerance fishing is paramount. You cannot liberalize minerals. Regulations must be enforced and prosecution seen to be done. It is not about talking,” she said. Maggie Kigozi called for immediate setting of fishnet standards. “We don’t have standards, yet these should have been implemented yesterday. UNBS standards on fishnets are not in place.”

She said it is unfortunate that nets below 4 inches that were banned are still cleared by URA customs and don’t appear on their banned list.

Joyce Ikwaput Nyeko the principle fisheries officer ministry of Agriculture urged government to act fast to ensure protection of the fish resource by implementing strong regulations and strong penalties for offenders. ‘Fisheries play a very important role next to coffee. We have continued to have governance issues which must be addressed,” she said.

Lt. Patrick Mwesige, a Supervisor Customs Enforcement officer with the URA said the solution to indiscriminate fishing is to preventing illegal fish gear entry in Uganda.

“The law is not fully enforced due to inadequate facilitation. How do we handle immature fish, do we keep them in the backyard to rot or put in a fish pond to mature. What we need is a barking law and seriousness from other stakeholders. The fishnets we impound are just unaccustomed, thus taxes are collected and goods released,” he said.

He cited lack of working MOU between URA and Ministry of Agriculture as some of the challenges affecting the fish sector.

He pointed out that most customs staff are ignorant regarding banned and outlawed illegal fishing gears. “They don’t appreciate the negative effects of illegal fishnets importation,” he explained.

He accused fisheries officers of acting slow when called when immature fish is captured.

“Fisheries officials don’t respond yet fish is fragile, when we keep it in the yard, it starts stinking next day, so what we do, we don’t touch, and let go,” he said.

Fisheries minister Ruth Nankabirwa vowed to crack the whip on illegal fishermen. “I will not be let down and will continue making noise. I am appealing for better working relations between URA, UNBS, Police, fisheries officers and BMU to build capacity,” she said.

Nankabirwa said she had issued for arrests of any Beach Management Unit officers got engaging in illegal fishing.

“I have told them that if I come to a landing site and find undersize nets and illegal fishing gears, I will pick them up and they explain, because they were sworn in to avoid this,” she said.

Stephen Birahwa Mukitale the chairman committee on National Economy said stringent penalties are needed to check on people who use undersize nets.

‘At this rate we need a ban on night fishing because it is rather hard to monitor fishermen at night,” he said. He said licenses should be given to fishermen and monitored to curb on indiscriminate fishing.

“Indigenous fishermen allowed fish to rest, especially during the moon time. When do you expect the fish to reproduce yet you don’t allow it to rest. We need to licenses instead of putting a ban,” said the legislator. Mukitale called for a research on the feasibility of day fishing

Paul Walakira the UNBS’s Standards Officer said the standards body is fast tracking the fishnets standards.

“Fishnets standards are a powerful tool.  It will help to promote sustainable fishing practices. We are developing it using a fast track and harmonized mechanisms within the region,: he said.

He said UNBS has developed a draft which is ready for further discussion. “We have consulted our partners in Tanzania and Kenya and have come up with a working draft,” he said.

The experts advocated for formation of National Fisheries Authority. The also called for the harmonization of the fishing regulation 2012 with the existing Customs Law for more effective border controls.

They urged government to ban importation of illegal fishing gears. As well as ban trade on immature fish.