According to Dr. Rukunya, the country was losing about US$ 52 million approximately Shillings 182 Billion of fish exports annually due to illegal fishing activities.
Nile Perch stocks in Lake Victoria have
increased by 31 percent, according to Dr. Edward Rukunya, the Director
Fisheries Resources in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and
Fisheries- MAAIF.
This comes
after close to three years since Uganda People’s Defense Force- UPDF commenced
operations against illegal fishing in the Lake Victoria.
Nile Perch, which was introduced in the lake in the 1950s,
reduced from 1.6 million tons in 2000 to 1.1 million tons in 2015 because of
illegal fishing practices.
Data from the Directorate of Fisheries Resources
also shows that the total fish captured in Uganda fell by 14.6% from 461,730 tons
in 2015 to 394, 224 tons in 2016 as a result of the reduced catch of Nile Perch.
On the export front, fish volumes to the international market
decreased from 18,785 tons in 2015 to 16,168 tons in 2016, with the majority of
the volumes destined to the European Union.
Consequently, there was a decline
in export earnings from US$134.791 million approximately UGX 483 Billion to
US$113.0 million approximately UGX 407 Billion during the same period under
review.
This prompted the deployment of soldiers on the
lake in 2017. Dr. Rukunya said that the increase in fish stocks has
revived six fish factories in the country. Without divulging details of the
factories, he noted that the increase in the Nile Perch will go a long way in
improving earnings of both fishermen and the country.
According to Dr. Rukunya, the country was losing about US$ 52
million approximately Shillings 182 Billion of fish exports annually due to
illegal fishing activities.
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On Tuesday, President Yoweri Museveni praised UPDF for the operations
against illegal fishing, which has enabled the fish, grow. While showing a photo of 87 Kilogram Nile Perch
caught in Lake Victoria, Museveni said left to grow, Nile Perch can weigh up to
300 kilograms.
Museveni also revealed that the country can earn a
minimum of US$156 billion from Nile Perch in a year especially from its
bladder, which he notes costs UGX 10 million per kilogram on the international
market.
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However, media reports indicate resumption of illegal fishing
activities on Lake Victoria after notable reduction in the last three years.
Currently, the UPDF Fisheries Protection Unit is struggling to enforce
operations against illegal fishing in Lake Kyoga with little success.
The operations that started in January have
since seen several illegal fishing gears confiscated.
