The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Fishermen in Kamuda Sub County in Soroti district have voluntarily surrendered 15 illegal fishing gears to the Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU. The fishermen first surrendered the illegal fishing nets to the LC I chairperson of Aboket landing site on Lake Kyoga.
The LC I chairperson invited the FPU on Tuesday to destroy the illegal fishing gears. Abraham Enyou, the LC I chairperson of Lale landing site, says that the fishermen accepted to surrender the illegal fishing nets after realizing the harm they do on the lake.
Robert Ocan, the chairman of eleven landing sites on Lake Kyoga said that if the government had relaxed on impounding the illegal fishing gears, over 300 fishermen using small boats would have been lost by now. He asked the Government to support those surrendering the illegal fishing gears with small loans to purchase the recommended fishnets and boats.
Major Jacob Fay Olila, the commandant of Reserve force in Teso, says that they encourage fishermen to surrender the illegal fishing gears peacefully and only use force when they are adamant.
Corporal James Okware, the deputy commander of the FPU in Teso Sub-region, says this is the first time the fishermen have voluntarily surrendered their gears since the beginning of this year.
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