Pakwach, Uganda | URN | Leaders in Pakwach District have been given a seven-day ultimatum to establish landing site management committees aimed at regulating fishing activities and restoring discipline in the fishing industry.
The directive follows a visit by the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding, to fishing communities along the Lake Albert and Albert Nile waters during a sensitization meeting held in Kwonga Village, Dei Sub-county bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During the meeting, a UPDF lawyer, Lt. Col. Benson Mwebaze, presented new guidelines to thousands of fishermen in Pakwach District. The guidelines outline the criteria for selecting landing site management committees, their roles, and the laws governing fishing activities, including stricter controls at gazetted landing sites and limits on the number of boats and fishermen allowed to operate.
The measures sparked concern and frustration among fishing communities, with residents demanding alternative livelihood support and compensation for affected property. They warned that the restrictions could worsen poverty levels in the district.
Lt. Gen. Okiding urged communities to voluntarily surrender illegal fishing gear to security agencies and instructed local leaders to immediately close all illegal landing sites. He also directed that management committees be vetted and composed of reputable residents. Okiding warned that violations under the new law attract a prison sentence of not less than eight years upon conviction.
