Hon. Hellen Adoa clarifies on matters contained in her previous media statement in respect of concerns & challenges affecting the Fisheries sector

The Minister of State for Fisheries Hon. Hellen Adoa has made another statement to clarify on matters in her previous statement about concerns and challenges of Fisheries sector.

Below is her full statement on the matter;

You will recall that on the 13th of February 2024, I made a statement at the Media Centre in which I informed the country of the concerns and challenges currently affecting the fisheries sub-sector.

These include increase in entry of immature fish from South Sudan through Elegu Border point; increased use of illegal fishing gears and methods on Uganda’s water bodies and unsustainable harvesting of silver fish.

In that statement I noted in particular, the importance of silver fish, which is grouped together as the small pelagics, and include Mukene, Ragoogi and Muziri species. Mukene is fished from Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga, while Ragoogi and Muziri are fished from Lake Albert.
I pointed out the rampant use bad fishing methods such as cast nets (tupa tupa), seine nets and hurry-up.

The “Hurry-Up” method is currently used for harvesting the silver fish species. This fishing method is dangerous because it is non-selective and is operated during day and night. It involves seining over a very wide area of water with nets of mesh size of less than 10mm on Lake Victoria and 8mm on Lake Kyoga and Albert. The method catches big quantities of untargeted fish especially juvenile Nile perch, a matter that threatens sustainability of fish stocks in the water bodies.

The Fish (Fishing Rules) of 2010, currently in force, prohibit the use of seine nets and nets whose mesh sizes are below those specified sizes. The same rules also ban fishing of silver fish in water less than 2km from the shoreline. Based on these provisions, I announced an immediate stop on the use of hurry-up fishing method and urged all concerned agencies to enforce the measure.

Following the media statement, I have noticed an escalation of concerns among a section of the silver fish fishers, especially on parts of Lake Victoria. There have been wrong allegations, even carried in a section of the media, that my statement banned the fishing of silver fish. I hereby categorically wish to clarify that I did not ban the fishing of silver fish. What was banned was the use of the hurry-up fishing method because of its destructive characteristics as mentioned above.

There have also been reports of increased enforcement activities against fishers by the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), in the name of enforcing the ban on silver fish. There have been reports that in some places, the FPU has imposed a total ban on silver fish fishing. The FPU is right in enforcing the banned hurry-up method but should NOT stop general fishing of silver fish or other types of fish using safe methods.
In my statement I advised the silver fish fishers to use the good method of “Kyoota” (scoop nets), and fishing only during the dark phase of the month (14 to 15 days of each month). This prevents overfishing of silver fish and thereby safeguards community livelihoods and economic benefits. These are measures which have for long ensured sustainable exploitation of silver fish. Therefore, where fishers are not using the hurry-up method, FPU should NOT stop them from fishing silver fish.

I have also received reports that the FPU transports culprits arrested in different sectors of the country all the way to Kampala for prosecution. If this is true, then it creates a lot of concern, among fishing communities because of the long distances involved in follow-ups and court procedures. I advise the FPU to always detain and prosecute suspects from within the jurisdiction of the different operational sectors, since all of them have police stations for safe custody and investigation and courts of law for prosecution.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has embarked on the review and update of fishing regulations, under the new Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2023. The process is consultative and will incorporate ideas and proposals from different stakeholders, including fishers, traders and community leaders.

In the meantime, I will in short while call a meeting of MAAIF technical staff and FPU to discuss ways of how to improve community participation at landing sites. When communities effectively participate in promoting good fishing practices, it reduces tension and improves the relation with enforcement agencies.

I wish to urge fishing communities throughout the country to comply with the lawful measures against illegal fishing and desist from using illegal fishing methods. They should all seek to promote law and order on all water bodies.

I conclude by emphasizing that sustainable exploitation of fisheries is the only way to ensure long term benefits in terms of community livelihoods, employment, household incomes and national fish exports. For God and my Country.

Hellen Adoa (MP)
MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES