Fishermen on Lake Albert decry increased FPU penalties for Illegal fishing

HOIMA, UGANDA: Fishermen on Lake Albert in the Districts of Hoima, Buliisa, Kikuube and Kagadi have expressed concern over increased intervations by the FPU in the fishing activity which have left them with no source of income.

According to the fishermen, before government’s deployment of the FPU at Lake Albert they used to get 10 tones of fish per year but after the deployment of the Army in September 2021 following Presint Museveni’s directive to stop illegal fishing at the Lake has lowered their output.

FPU operations are targeting all illegal fishing activities on the lakeside.

Fishermen are therefore asking government’s support saying that since the deployment of the Army, they were left with no source of income to look after their families since their fishing materials were arrested.

James Magambo a fisherman at Butiaba landing site in Buliisa District says his boats were burnt and other fishing materials.
“My 4 boats were all burnt by the and fishnets taken, so am requesting government of Uganda to give support since I no longer have any other source of revenue to look after my family”. Magambo said.
Alfred Bedijo a fisherman at Runga landing site in Hoima District says that as of now, he has no ways how to look after his family.

Jennifer Kyaligonza a mother of six children at Nkondo landing site in Kikuube District says that the operations by the FPU has led to his failure to raise food for his family.
“My family have been depending on fishing as a source of income and food as well but the FPU operations which led to the burning of my fishing nets has left my family stack, so please we are pleading the government to provide some aid”. Kyaligonza said.

Speaking to Daily Express, Lieutenant Dick Kaija one of the office in charge of operations said the operations will continue until fishermen obey the set rules and regulations by the government.
“The operations are still on and they will continue until fishermen have started obeying the set rules and regulations”. Kaija said.