Shs400 million illegal fishing nets destroyed

Entebbe- Fishing gear worth Shs400 million was yesterday destroyed by officials from the ministry of
Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, as the government seeks to curb illegal fishing in the
country.

Some of the destroyed fishing gears were confiscated from sites like Kigungu, Makusa, Bugonga and
Bulago fishing sites.

Addressing the press at Bugonga Landing Site, Mr Jackson Wadanya, the commissioner fisheries
management and development, said the destroyed nets were a disaster to the future of aquatic species
including fish.

“Illegal nets have a negative effect because they are used in indiscriminate fishing that has led to
the depletion of a number of fish species in Uganda’s lakes and other water sources.”
“Such kinds of gear trap all kinds of fish regardless of size and which, which as the government we
cannot accept,” Mr Wadanya said.

For instance, Mr Wadanya said, some fish species including Nile perch have almost been wiped out as a
result of indiscriminate fishing through the use of illegal fish gear.
Data indicates that Nile perch volumes have fallen from 90 per cent to 20 per cent in the last ten
years.

Fish, according to reports provide more than 25 per cent of the world’s dietary with more than 100
million metric tonnes of fish consumed annually.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture indicates that Uganda exported 18,320 metric tonnes of fish
worth Shs262 billion was exported in the 2012/13 Financial Year supported by a strong recovery in
volumes and quality.

Globally, annual fisheries exports are valued at between Shs209 trillion ($85 billion) and ShsShs246
trillion ($90 billion), while fisheries and aquaculture employ 43 million people.
[email protected]