Nabakooba orders return of impounded fishing gear to Lake Wamala fishermen

Fishermen operating on Lake Wamala in Mityana District have reason to celebrate after Lands Minister, Ms Judith Nabakooba, directed soldiers under the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) to return impounded fishing gear to owners.

The impounded gear included four-inch fishing nets and flat boats of less than the recommended interior overall length of 28 feet.

This directive comes after President Museveni's recent visit to Mityana, where a section of fishermen reported to him about the challenges they face. A team of fishermen, escorted by Ms Nabakooba, met the President in State House to discuss their concerns.

"In the case of making new regulations, let us use Lake Wamala as a test case. Return their four-inch nets and flat boats," Ms Nabakooba directed the soldiers on Sunday while meeting the fishermen in Mityana District. She argued that a uniform regulation on boat size cannot apply to all lakes, as some lakes, like Wamala, are shallow.

The FPU is currently undertaking public consultations to gather opinions that will guide the development of new regulations expected to be rolled out next year. Although Lake Wamala is yet to receive an FPU team for similar consultations, Commissioner Fisheries Regulation, Mr Joseph Bwanika, promised that they will soon engage the fishermen.

"The commissioner fishers promised that his team would come on the ground and conduct a study in consultation with the public, and at the end of the day come up with a regulation," Ms Nabakooba noted.

Mr Bwanika revealed that the new law suggests reducing the size of boats by 14 feet for shallow lakes, as requested by fishermen. "I will send a team to do a sample on the size and design of the boats that can work effectively on this lake. These are the very things we are considering to review in the new regulations," Mr Bwanika promised.

He urged fishermen to prioritize their safety while practicing their occupation by wearing safety jackets. The chairperson of fishermen, Ali Ssekiwunga, decried the harsh nature of the FPU soldiers on their lake and asked Ms Nabakooba to talk to them to be friendly for a good working relationship.

President Museveni formed the FPU in January 2017 to crack down on illegal fishing on Ugandan water bodies, which was blamed for the dwindling fish stocks in the country. Although the FPU's work has been commended by some stakeholders, many politicians and fishermen have criticized them for their high-handedness in dealing with people suspected of engaging in illegal fishing.