Challenges fuel illegal fishing in L.Victoria

Other challenges are lack of motor vessels, vehicles, fuel and funds shortage.

Principal Assistant Fisheries Officer, FRP Unit Kagera Zone, Gabriel Mageni, said they need more funds from the government or donors for full time monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) activities to curb illegal fishing in the lake.

At the moment the lake is challenged by over exploitation of fish stocks using illegal or prohibited fishing gear.

“Due to these problems, more funds should be sourced and properly allocated to MCS activities at most before three months, so as not to give artisanal fishermen time to reconstruct illegal gear and resume fishing,” he said.

Elaborating on the vessels they use, he said that they received three vessels from the government but they are not in the best of conditions.

“If you will get a chance to visit Kagera Region, you will see the vessels in bad shape, we don’t have funds to buy new vessels for patrolling on the lake,” Mageni told The Banker in a telephone interview.

The unit needs at least five vessels for patrolling the lake and 2,500 to 3,000 litres of fuel per month to operate effectively.

A shortage of fisheries officers to do patrols is also a huge challenge, as a result illegal fishing has been thriving in the region, he said.

Highlighting on the level of compliance last year, Mageni said it was minimal largely due to political interference.Many of the fishing communities along the lake’s beaches depend on illegal fishing.

Village and other local leaders protect illegal fishermen for political gains.

In 2015, they also conducted two major operations funded by the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC-Smartfish Programme) and routine operations, which were funded by the government.

He said all illegal fishing gear impounded during recent operations was confiscated and legal actions were taken against the suspects.Also unregistered and unlicensed fishing vessels, fish collecting boats and trucks were seized and owners were ordered to register and license them.

He mentioned last year’s challenges which, he said, includedbad weather, especially storms that affected operations, uncooperative fishermen who hide illegal gear, leaking of information and late release of funds by government.

On the prospects for 2016, he said more funds should be sourced from donors and be properly allocated towards monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS).Fisheries Resource Protection (FRP) units were established by the Fisheries Act No. 22 of 2003 with the aim of helping local government authorities fight illegal fishing countrywide.

In Kagera Region, the unit is located in Bukoba and among the unit’s tasks in 2015 was to fight of illegal fishing, impound illegal fishing gear and ensure that all fishermen and vessels are registered and licensed.