3,500 illegal fishing nets burnt
Sep 05, 2011
FISHERIES officials have destroyed 3,500 illegal fishing gears in Busoga in a campaign to end illegal fishing.
By Doreen Musingo
FISHERIES officials have destroyed 3,500 illegal fishing gears in Busoga in a campaign to end illegal fishing.
The gears were impounded in a series of impromptu operations at landing sites in the region during which at least 1,500kgs of immature fish were also seized.
The operation by law enforcement officers from Entebbe fisheries department covered Bugiri and Jinja in Busoga and parts of Kayunga and Buikwe districts in Buganda.
Yunus Nkuutu, who headed the operation on Friday, said about 2,000 of the implements were from fish-mongers at Masese Landing Site in Jinja and Bukungu Landing Site in Buikwe. He added that the 1,500kg of immature fish was impounded from fishermen on Lake Victoria at Rippon Landing Site in Jinja municipality on Wednesday, while another three tones were impounded in Mayuge and Namayingo districts.
Nkuutu explained that when the team intercepted a fishing boat loaded with the fish at Rippon, the owners ran away, abandoning their catch.
He said the culprits were tipped off by other fishermen.
Nkuutu said the boat was impounded and its engine taken to Entebbe as an exhibit.
He urged leaders of the beach management units (BMUs) to measure fish to avoid catching immature fish.
Wilson Gede, the Rippon Landing Site BMU chairman said: “People have now resorted to catching fish at night when patrols are off duty.â€
FISHERIES officials have destroyed 3,500 illegal fishing gears in Busoga in a campaign to end illegal fishing.
The gears were impounded in a series of impromptu operations at landing sites in the region during which at least 1,500kgs of immature fish were also seized.
The operation by law enforcement officers from Entebbe fisheries department covered Bugiri and Jinja in Busoga and parts of Kayunga and Buikwe districts in Buganda.
Yunus Nkuutu, who headed the operation on Friday, said about 2,000 of the implements were from fish-mongers at Masese Landing Site in Jinja and Bukungu Landing Site in Buikwe. He added that the 1,500kg of immature fish was impounded from fishermen on Lake Victoria at Rippon Landing Site in Jinja municipality on Wednesday, while another three tones were impounded in Mayuge and Namayingo districts.
Nkuutu explained that when the team intercepted a fishing boat loaded with the fish at Rippon, the owners ran away, abandoning their catch.
He said the culprits were tipped off by other fishermen.
Nkuutu said the boat was impounded and its engine taken to Entebbe as an exhibit.
He urged leaders of the beach management units (BMUs) to measure fish to avoid catching immature fish.
Wilson Gede, the Rippon Landing Site BMU chairman said: “People have now resorted to catching fish at night when patrols are off duty.â€