Beach managers held over illegal fishing

Sep 25, 2008

THE fight against illegal fishing has taken a new twist with the Beach Management Unit officials being arrested. Last Friday three officers were arrested with immature fish and illegal fishing gear in Mukono district.

By Alex Bukumunhe

THE fight against illegal fishing has taken a new twist with the Beach Management Unit officials being arrested. Last Friday , three officers of the unit were arrested with immature fish and illegal fishing gear during an operation mounted in Mukono district.

Ronald Batte, the chairman of the unit in Katosi, identified the arrested as Onenchan Seraje, the chairman of Bugula fishing camp, Okello and Kamukamu Nalyazi of Kalyambuzi fishing site.

“It is disappointing to note that some of our fellow chairmen were participating in illegal fishing. I assure you that we are no longer going to be intimidated or compromised as far as preventing illegal fishing is concerned,” Batte said.

The three officials were part of a group of 20 people arrested in an operation during which 10,000 illegal fishing nets and immature fish were impounded from 26 landing sites in Mukono.

The nets were burnt on Friday, but the culprits forgiven at the function attended by officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Dr. Rhoda Tumwebaze, the commissioner for fisheries, said they would start vetting BMU officials.

“We shall not accept anyone elected on the BMU. We will be vetting them such that those with illegal fishing gear would are excluded regardless of whether or not they were elected,” Tumwebaze said.

Simon Okoshi, the commandant of the Police Marine unit, said they would close all factories processing immature fish.
Mukono Resident District Commissioner Maj. David Matovu told security personnel to treat whoever breaches fisheries regulations as enemies of the state.

“The enemy has changed tactics by embarking on an economic war. Those using illegal fishing gear, and destroying forests are the new enemies. They are worse than Joseph Kony since their mission is to bring down our economy,” Matovu said.

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