Minister Clarifies: No Ban on Silver Fish Harvesting in Lake Victoria and Kyoga

Minister of State for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa, has clarified that her Ministry has not banned the harvesting of silver fish (Mukene) in Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga, contrary to earlier misunderstandings.

Addressing journalists at the Media Center on Wednesday, Adoa sought to dispel misconceptions surrounding her directives on fishing Mukene, following her statement on February 13, 2024.

Among the key concerns raised by Adoa was the surge in illegal fishing methods and unsustainable harvesting practices affecting silver fish species like Mukene, Ragoogi, and Muziri. She specifically highlighted the detrimental impact of the “Hurry-Up” fishing method, particularly on juvenile Nile perch populations.

To tackle these challenges, Adoa had previously announced an immediate ban on the Hurry-Up fishing method, aligning with the Fish (Fishing Rules) of 2010.

However, she clarified that the ban solely targeted the fishing method and not the harvesting of silver fish itself.  Adoa reiterated that only the Hurry-Up fishing method was prohibited due to its destructive nature.

“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.” she said

Adoa also called on enforcement officers under the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), not to stop fishers using legal methods such as the “Kyoota” (scoop nets) technique. She clarified that the FPU is tasked with enforcing the ban on the Hurry-Up method.

“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.” she added

Adoa also addressed concerns about suspects being transported to Kampala for prosecution, saying prosecuting of suspects within the jurisdiction of their operational sectors is more logical.

“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.” she said

Adoa further announced plans for a meeting between Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) technical staff and the FPU to discuss ways to enhance community involvement at landing sites and create better relations between enforcement agencies and fishing communities.

Adoa also called on fishing communities to comply with lawful measures against illegal fishing.