Army impounds immature fish worth Shs60m in Mpigi
A military man stands next to premature fish that was impounded in Mpigi District on August 18, 2023. PHOTO/MUZAFARU NSUBUGA
What you need to know:
- Both the driver and co-driver managed to evade the arrest.
Soldiers under the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) of the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) have intercepted a truck loaded with immature fish worth Shs60million.
According to Capt Andrew Egibu, the commander of FPU in Masaka Sub Region, a Canter truck was impounded at Nakaziba fishing Village, in Mpigi District on Wednesday morning following a tip-off fron their informers.
- Capt Andrew Egibu, the commander of the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit in Masaka Sub Region
He said the truck was loaded with over 114 boxes, each containing at least 600 pieces of immature Nile Perch, which was being transported to Bunagana Town on the Uganda- DR Congo border.
Capt Egibu revealed that during the same operation, they also managed to recover an under-seized boat and fish nets, motor engine, and empty jerry cans.
Both the driver and co-driver managed to evade the arrest.
He said although they have tried their best to fight illegal fishing practices they are still affected by pockets of fishermen that steal and catch immature fish which costs the country a lot of money.
“Imagine if one mature Nile Perch can cost over Shs15,000 on the market then these people were carrying 144 boxes each loaded with over 600 immature fish. How much do you think the country would generate from such a catch? This should be fought because it's costing the country so much and this should be every citizen's responsibility.” Capt Egibu told Monitor in a Friday interview.
According to him, FPU has developed a good system to track down traders and transporters of immature fish. Capt Egibu advised the dealers to switch to other lawful businesses.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye emphasized that they are going to ensure that the case file is worked on and submitted to the state for sanctioning so that the runway suspects are arraigned in courts of law.
In this photo taken on August 18, 2023, men, including security operatives off load premature fish that was impounded in Mpigi District on August 18, 2023. PHOTO/MUZAFARU NSUBUGA
Ever since President Museveni deployed soldiers to crackdown on illegal fishing on Uganda’s lakes in 2017, there has been significant increase in fish stocks. However, the FPU soldiers have on several occasions been criticised over their high-handedness in dealing with people suspected of engaging in illegal fishing.
During FPU operations, many people suspected of dealing in immature fish have reportedly been tortured, some killed and several ungazetted landing sites destroyed along the shores of lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Albert.
