The Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) have today Thursday set a blaze at least half a ton of immature fish(nile perch) at Bugonga landing site in Entebbe Municipality.
The immature fish was impounded last week in areas of Busega on the outskirts of the capital, Kampala. According to a report by the FPU the fish was being transported to the market by two men.
Innocent Mugabi who is the inspector at the Fisheries Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) confirmed that last week two suspects were arrested and arraigned before the Magistrates Court at Entebbe.
The pair, a one Swaibu and another identified as Ssekabira are being charged with counts related to illegal fishing were remanded to Luzira prison pending trial.
Mugabi also revealed that court ordered that the fish be burnt since it was not safe for human and animal consumption.
FPU spokesperson, Deo Ssentiba said they will not relent until order is restored on the lake and across the fishing industry.
“Operations will continue to uproot the bad elements on the lake, our job is to make fishing sustainable. By the time the fish was captured it had gone bad, therefore we couldn’t distribute it to people.” he stated
According to reports by MAAIF, Uganda is at risk of losing fish risks due to heightened levels of immature fishing harvesting on major lakes.
It is also estimated that the country loses millions of shillings in fighting marine crime and illegal fishing practices.
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