According to the FPU sector commander for the districts of Serere, Kalaki, and Kaberamaido, James Okwaret, the illegal fishing gear that is estimated to cost sh900m comprised of undersize gill nets, small boats, tycoons, monofilaments, hooks, and boats.
They were burned on Thursday at the Kagwara Landing Site during the visit by FPU overall commander Lt. Col. Dick Kaija, who was on a sensitisation mission on illegal fishing gear.
Kaija, while meeting with the Lake Kyoga landing site chairpersons at Kagwara Landing Site in Serere, said the target is to liberate the economy of the country because the available resources have been misused.
Lt Col. Dick Kaija overal commander FPU burning illegal fishing gear in Kagwara landing site Kaija added that the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act 2022 has heavy penalties for illegalities, for example, if you fail to pay 150 currency points.
For the license, once you are taken to court and convicted, you pay 5000 currency points, and each currency point is shs 20000 or you will be convicted and sentenced to about two years imprisonment.
“I want you to read this Act so you become aware of the law and consequences that will help you because in court you cannot say that you were ignorant of the law; it is better to form associations now and begin educating the people you lead,” Kaija told the landing chairpersons.
James Eriku, the chairperson Adiding landing site in Serere, said he is going to investigate and report those who make illegal fishing gear at the landing site as a way of stopping people from bad fishing practices.
Serere district fisheries officer John Peter Acibu-Ekwilu said some people make illegal fishing gear in the villages, which according to him makes the operation difficult.
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