UPDF: Fish stock in the lakes has improved because of our vigilance

The Fisheries Protection Force, under the UPDF has revealed that in it's own assessment, the fish stock in the lakes have increased to 72% from 68% thanks to their activities that have ensured that poor fishing practices are banished.

The force commandant Lt. Col. James Nuwagaba said after the ban on fishing in Lake Kyoga has been lifted, available stocks will clock 80% for national and export consumption.

“Remember the water bodies have been hiding so many categories of people. Imagine Uganda has 58% of foreigners on water bodies compared to Tanzania which has 20% and Kenya has 22%. How do you have a bigger population in water bodies than your own population?"

He said the president directed that whoever is licensed as a boat owner must be a Ugandan and this is what they are doing.

Although the force has repeatedly been criticised for being brutal, Nuwagaba said the evidence of the criminal and violent characters is overwhelming.

They use, pangas, machetes to fight soldiers who are doing their job," he said.

He said all the soldiers who have got involved in the nasty activities have been apprehended and punished according to the law.

“So far since the operation started, 44 soldiers have been arrested, one of them has been charged and given three years imprisonment and dismissed from the force with a disgrace another has been given 18 months imprisonment," he said.