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Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU has warned fishermen on Lake George against using pancakes to catch fish.
This follows reports of fishermen who have adopted pancakes (kabalagala) as a new method to make their catch. The fishermen reportedly throw the pans into areas where they have cast their nets to attract fish.
However, FPU commander Lt. Col. Dick Kirya Kaija says the oils affect the digestive system of the fish and are not recommended to be fed on aquatic life. He says when fish consume the oil they are likely to die while those taken out of the water easily go bad.
Kaija adds that suspects could be convicted on account of using unconventional fishing methods.
Kaija says they are now embarking on awareness campaigns against illegal fishing and reactivating the legal systems to apprehend the culprits. He adds that they are in operations to stop the harmful methods of catching premature fish.
Geoffrey Saidi a fisherman says the absence of fish and the required net size has forced them to find alternative methods to make a catch.
Saidi says that there some cases where fish suspected to have been fed on pancakes have suffocated or died.
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URN
While this is tragic ,I think overall the authorities have handled the fishing industry in the Rwenzori region in a crude and high handed manner. This has plagued in the already murky politics of poverty and failed government policies. What is mainly needed is to involve the communities especially those where fish is athe main source of protein. It took me ages to grasp the dynamics of immature fish until I visited my market in the village. It for to do with portions and family welfare. This when compared to the policing in the effected communities compared to the rest of the country like in the north where fish isn’t much sought after.