Fisheries ministry asked to relocate crocodiles
Mar 24, 2010
THE Bushenyi district chairman, Longino Ndyanabo, has called upon the fisheries ministry to relocate crocodiles from Kazinga channel, a fish breeding zone for lakes George and Edward.
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
THE Bushenyi district chairman, Longino Ndyanabo, has called upon the fisheries ministry to relocate crocodiles from Kazinga channel, a fish breeding zone for lakes George and Edward.
Longino said it was unfortunate that the crocodiles were introduced in the channel yet they eat everything they come across.
He warned that the two lakes might run out of fish if the crocodiles are not relocated.
In an interview with The New Vision on Monday, Longino noted that he did not know who introduced the crocodiles in the lakes.
The district fisheries officer, Anthony Rubeihayo, explained that the crocodiles migrated from Lake Albert through River Semliki.
The ministry suspended all fishing activities on the lakes to enable them replenish themselves but the presence of crocodiles now makes the plan complicated, he observed.
Longino appealed to the Government to demarcate Lake Edward in order to end the conflicts between Ugandan fishermen and those from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
DRC owns over 75% of the lake but the Congolese fishermen have on several occasions crossed to fish on Uganda’s side, he said. “We have a problem with the Congolese because they have fast-running boats. Can we have demarcations on the lake to iron out these conflicts?†Longino said.
The fisheries state minister, Fred Mukisa, said the crocodiles should be handled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Mukisa said demarcations on Lake Edward would be made after the demarcation of Migingo Island on Lake Victoria is completed.
THE Bushenyi district chairman, Longino Ndyanabo, has called upon the fisheries ministry to relocate crocodiles from Kazinga channel, a fish breeding zone for lakes George and Edward.
Longino said it was unfortunate that the crocodiles were introduced in the channel yet they eat everything they come across.
He warned that the two lakes might run out of fish if the crocodiles are not relocated.
In an interview with The New Vision on Monday, Longino noted that he did not know who introduced the crocodiles in the lakes.
The district fisheries officer, Anthony Rubeihayo, explained that the crocodiles migrated from Lake Albert through River Semliki.
The ministry suspended all fishing activities on the lakes to enable them replenish themselves but the presence of crocodiles now makes the plan complicated, he observed.
Longino appealed to the Government to demarcate Lake Edward in order to end the conflicts between Ugandan fishermen and those from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
DRC owns over 75% of the lake but the Congolese fishermen have on several occasions crossed to fish on Uganda’s side, he said. “We have a problem with the Congolese because they have fast-running boats. Can we have demarcations on the lake to iron out these conflicts?†Longino said.
The fisheries state minister, Fred Mukisa, said the crocodiles should be handled by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Mukisa said demarcations on Lake Edward would be made after the demarcation of Migingo Island on Lake Victoria is completed.