Fishermen from eight landing sites in Mpunge Sub-county, Mukono District, have petitioned the Ministry of Fisheries to investigate alleged illegal fishing in a protected breeding area on Lake Victoria. The fishermen claim that Harrison Porter, a foreign national operating from Bulago Island, has been allowed to fish in an area designated as a Lacustrine Protected Area (LPA) to protect breeding grounds and allow fish stocks to recover.
The allegations were raised during a meeting convened by Mukono South Member of Parliament Robert Maseruka to discuss challenges facing fishing communities, including alleged harassment by security personnel and private individuals enforcing restrictions against illegal fishing. The affected landing sites are Kiziru, Buleebi, Kasaali, Baale Kamwaanyi, Ndeya, Nankoko, Kazikake and Koone. The fishermen said the area was gazetted as a Lacustrine Protected Area under fisheries regulations introduced in 2010.
The regulations prohibit fishing within protected areas, with offenders liable to prosecution and a fine of at least 200,000 Shillings. They alleged that while local fishermen were arrested or blocked from entering the protected area, Porter and boats associated with him continued operating there. They said the perceived double standard had fuelled frustration among communities whose livelihoods depend largely on fishing.
The fishermen also accused some fisheries and security officials of abusing enforcement powers. They alleged that some arrested fishermen were asked to pay more than 500,000 Shillings to secure their release, while others had their fishing equipment confiscated or were subjected to physical harassment.
Mustafah Kalyango, the fisheries official responsible for the area, told the meeting that Porter had reportedly been authorised by the Government to guard and protect the breeding ground. Kalyango, however, said Porter had allegedly failed to comply with the conditions attached to the authorisation.
According to Kalyango, the conditions required the protected area to be secured against fishing and other illegal activities while allowing fish to breed and mature. Instead, Kalyango said, fishermen had reported cases of alleged mistreatment, including beatings, destruction of fishing nets and damage to boats.
He further alleged that Porter brought 33 boats into the protected area and was provided with security personnel, but that the boats later began fishing inside the restricted zone.
Fred Mujwala, a fisherman who attended the meeting, appealed to Maseruka to intervene, saying repeated arrests and restrictions had made it increasingly difficult for fishing communities to support their families.
Women from the affected communities also appealed for intervention, saying the arrests of their husbands and relatives had left families struggling to meet basic needs and repay loans taken to support fishing activities and household expenses.
They asked Maseruka to help secure the release of fishermen who had been arrested and remanded in prison, arguing that their continued detention was worsening the financial difficulties facing their households.
Maseruka said he would raise the fishermen’s concerns with the relevant authorities and work with other legislators around Lake Victoria to seek a meeting with the Minister responsible for Fisheries, Robert Migadde Ndugwa, to discuss the implementation of recent amendments to fisheries laws.
He said the discussions would seek to ensure that fisheries regulations protect fish stocks while also considering the livelihoods of communities that have depended on the lake for generations.
Maseruka also proposed a review of the boundaries and size of the protected area to establish whether they remain appropriate, while ensuring that critical breeding grounds continue to receive protection.
The fishermen urged the Government to investigate the allegations surrounding management of the protected area and clarify who is authorised to operate within it. They also called for transparency and equal enforcement of fisheries regulations, arguing that all fishermen should be subject to the same rules regardless of their nationality or status-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
