By Emmanuel Balukusa
Fishermen in Buvuma Islands have expressed their dissatisfaction over the new rules and policies by the agriculture ministry to guide lake users on the fishing of mukene (silverfish) in lakes.
New guidelines
In the new guidelines, fishermen are not allowed to trap silverfish at a distance that is not exceeding two kilometres from the lake shores.
The ministry also wants silverfish dealers to fish for only 15 days each month, arguing that fishing without breaks depletes silverfish.
They also suspended the use of the ‘Hurry Up’ method, where fishermen use big fishnet sizes that cover a large surface area to harvest everything in the lake that the net comes across.
While addressing the state minister of agriculture, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, they explained that ever since Government came up with the new measures, many of them can no longer sustain their families.
Anthony Sebastian Okwale, the mayor of Buvuma town council, explained that many family heads have abandoned their responsibilities since they were stopped from fishing. The fishermen asked Kyakulaga to educate the farmers on the new policies.
The minister refuted the Buvuma fishermen’s claims that they accused MAAIF of suspending them from the lake.
He explained that the Government has never chased or denied anyone the right to fish in the lake, saying they only stipulated measures and guidelines that the fishersmen had to follow while fishing. “
The guidelines are clear; silverfish netting should not be done at a distance of two kilometres from the shore. You should also do fishing in darkness; and desist from using illegal gear,” Kyakulaga said.
National oil palm project
Mirimu Ssenyonjo, the Busamuzi sub-county chairperson, commended Government for giving out the fertilisers, but blamed it for failing to compensate landlords and bibanja holders, who gave their land to a Malaysian investor to plant palm trees under the National Oil Palm Project (NOPP).
Jude Kibondwe Ssekandi, the Buvuma district agricultural officer, explained that the district has over ten thousand farmers, adding that the fertilisers will boost food production.
Wilson Sserunjogi, the NOPP focal person, said ever since NOPP started in the district, many developments, such as standard murram roads and better housing, have been achieved.
Adrian Wasswa Dungu, the Buvuma district chairperson, however, reported that they are still challenged by the poor transport facilities on the lake.
He asked the Government to allocate another ferry that will transport both palm and people from Buvuma to Mayuge and vice-versa.
Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, the state minister for agriculture, explained that the Government, together with the International Fund for Agriculture, brought fertilisers and supplied them in districts where NOPP operates.
The fertilisers were given in a programme termed “districts under the crisis response initiative,” which include Buvuma, Kalangala, Mayuge, Bugiri, Iganga and Namayingo.
