The newly created National Fisheries Task Force (NFTF) on Thursday set ablaze over 1000 illegal fishing nets at the Bugonga Landing site that had been impounded from several landing sites in Masaka, Kalungu, Kalangala, Namayingo and Mpigi districts. The illegal fishing nets were seized by the fisheries task force in a massive operation that was conducted in the last one week around Bukakata, Kakyanga and Lambu landing sites in Masaka, Bwiri and Kisujju landing sites in Kalangala and Kamutenga landing site in Mpigi district.
Close to 4 tonnes (4,000Kgs) of immature fish was also found abandoned by the fishermen during the operation and was later distributed to the local communities. According to Paul Okware the in-charge enforcement he revealed that the Illegal fishing gear that included undersized gill nets, locally made beach seines, cast nets, Monofilament nets and 52 boxes of undersized hooks were worth Shs 700m.
Other key stake holders in the massive operation included the Agricultural Police, Beach Management Unit, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and members from the Fish Processors and Exporters Association and are supported by Smart fish, European Union, Indian Ocean Commission, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
Okware vowed to continue with the crack down on the illegal fishing gear and warned all those who smuggle illegal nets into the country through the waters would face the law.
“Together with our stakeholders we shall continue with the operations to fight fishing illegalities and we shall impound illegal nets smuggled at the different border points” Okware stated. The fishermen were left in tears and threatened to hang themselves after all their illegal nets were rounded up by Okware and his team who raided the landing sites with no mercy. The poor fishermen vanished from the vicinity and hid in trees to avoid being arrested.
