 |
| Fisheries Managers from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania |
By Esther Nakkazi
The European Union (EU) will contribute 100,000 Euros to improve monitoring, control, and surveillance of Lake Victoria to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. More funds are expected from partner states.
The EU funds to be available for eight months from April to November 2017, will be managed by the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LFVO) and given to SmartFish one of the largest regional Programmes for fisheries in Africa.
At a regional consultative meeting held in Entebbe (28-29th March), fisheries managers from three partner states that share Lake Victoria of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania agreed on a joint action plan.
The fisheries managers agreed to carry out joint patrol activities, registration of fishers, enforcement, and support to comply with licensing, marking licensed fishing boats as well as to create awareness and encourage voluntary surrender of illegal fishing gears.
“Pooling of assets, information, and knowledge between different countries enables countries to share surveillance and control of fishing,” said Fanjanirina Jérômine, IOC-SmartFish monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) Assistant.
Patrick Kimani the Kenya regional representative IOC-SmartFish said there is need to sustain MCS activities being undertaken although in spite of these illegal fishing on Lake Victoria persists.
Paul Okware the acting assistant commissioner in charge of regulation and control at the Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries commented on how illegal users are increasingly using strange illegal methods and gears.
And while these have also increased catching and trading in immature fish, harmonizing all agencies in enforcement for all partner states has become a nightmare, he said.
Fisheries situation in Uganda:
Lake Victoria partner states currently have different standards. This is true especially in Uganda in November 2015, suspended all operations of Fisheries Officers, Beach Management Units (BMUs) and police - these are pending reforms.
But prior to this, there was harmony as fisheries management in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania were on a single spine command as by 2004, co-management, BMUs and other institutions were in place and harmonised.
However, in Uganda, with time these did not function well as parallel and uncoordinated enforcement systems and officers emerged who pushed the technical officers and BMUs to the sidelines thus causing a gap for fisheries illegalities to escalate.
In 2015, Uganda's suspension of BMUs was announced by President Yoweri Museveni who also issued a directive requiring fisheries to form a Fish Protection Unit (FPU) led by an officer from the Presidents office. To that effect, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was prepared and in the long run, the Fish Bill incorporating reforms will be passed.
BMUs helped to; improve sanitation to meet Fish Quality Assurance and safety requirements, maintain and update registers of BMUs and vet fishers to be licensed, provide fisheries catch and marketing data, implement fisheries regulations and management measures at landing sites as well as develop local fisheries management plans.
Museveni also directed that special courts for fisheries be introduced. He abolished importation of fishing gears and announced imprisonment of 7 years for fisheries offenders. According to Okware, after Museveni's announcement over 300 illegal gears were impounded in 2015/2016.
In the meantime, only 0.3% vessels are licensed in Uganda waters, however, if all vessels were licensed and a formidable enforcement was in place, Uganda would collect Ushs 5 billion annually.
Godfrey Monor, the executive secretary LVFO said it was awkward that only 0.3 vessels are licensed by Uganda because it creates a situation of ‘free for all’ which is not healthy for an ecosystem.
But the meeting heard that licensing in Uganda is also used as a management tool, more like, the less the licensing the more the fish stocks will grow.
Uganda has also introduced a mobile licensing system and TradeMark East Africa will soon train fisheries people on the e-licensing system.
Kenya and Tanzania Monitoring, Control and Surveillance status report;
In the Kenya waters, according to the 2016 frame survey, gill-nets increased by 2% from 188,984 in 2014 to 192,987 in 2016 of these about 40% are undersized or illegal; monofilaments increased from 58 in 2004 to 20,842 in 2016; beach seines increased by 24% from 724 in 2014 to 901 in 2016.
The number of fishers increased by 9% from 40,133 in 2014 to 43,799 in 2016; boats increased by 7% from 13,402 in 2014 to 14365 in 2016. Over 300 illegal gears were impounded in 2015/2016 and Kenya fisheries are in the process of boat registration to give specific identities to crafts for licensing to commence.
This comes at the backdrop that Kenya since the inception of the devolved system of governance no meaningful MCS has been done as well there is little information exchange between counties and national governments.
Meanwhile, Tanzania has the highest MCS activities compared to Uganda and Kenya on Lake Victoria. For instance, for the period January 2016 to March 2017, Tanzania patrols resulted in the confiscation of 19,250 beach seines, 3,171 undersize gill-nets, 9,459 monofilaments, 44 dagaa nets, 84,140 kgs of immature fish and apprehension of 777 culprits.
In Tanzania, fishing vessel licensing is done by a competent authority in collaboration with BMUs. According to the frame survey report 2016, the total number of fishing crafts operating in Tanzanian waters were 31,773.
A total of 18,452 or 58.07% of the total Fishing Crafts are registered and licensed, the highest number on Lake Victoria.
Way forward for MCS on Lake Victoria;
The meeting heard that in spite of all activities including joint regional patrols by partners states on Lake Victoria there is increased illegal fishing as well as catching and trading in immature fish.
Susan Imende deputy Director at Ministry of Fisheries Development Kenya said fisheries managers have to think ‘outside the box’ as illegal users are ahead of them, which is pushing down fish stocks and while joint regional patrols could be effective and are a normal procedure the arrested fishers say they are being harassed.
Samson Abura the LVFO Communication Director said this time it should be ‘ business unusual’ and suggested a database for MCS operations and IUUs to be set up as well as a good plan to show partner governments what is being done.
However, Monor from LVFO was skeptical about sustainability and if suggested activities would create any change. “We have done many activities but get the same results. We shall first increase the appetite of illegal fisheries but what happens after November?,” he asked after the EU funds are used up.
“This is like a ‘knee jack reaction’ because the funds are available. Will it be sustainable and have effective outcomes?” wondered Monor.
ends
BMUs helped to; improve sanitation to meet Fish Quality Assurance and safety requirements, maintain and update registers of BMUs and vet fishers to be licensed, provide fisheries catch and marketing data, implement fisheries regulations and management measures at landing sites as well as develop local fisheries management plans.
Museveni also directed that special courts for fisheries be introduced. He abolished importation of fishing gears and announced imprisonment of 7 years for fisheries offenders. According to Okware, after Museveni's announcement over 300 illegal gears were impounded in 2015/2016.
In the meantime, only 0.3% vessels are licensed in Uganda waters, however, if all vessels were licensed and a formidable enforcement was in place, Uganda would collect Ushs 5 billion annually.
Godfrey Monor, the executive secretary LVFO said it was awkward that only 0.3 vessels are licensed by Uganda because it creates a situation of ‘free for all’ which is not healthy for an ecosystem.
But the meeting heard that licensing in Uganda is also used as a management tool, more like, the less the licensing the more the fish stocks will grow.
Uganda has also introduced a mobile licensing system and TradeMark East Africa will soon train fisheries people on the e-licensing system.
Kenya and Tanzania Monitoring, Control and Surveillance status report;
In the Kenya waters, according to the 2016 frame survey, gill-nets increased by 2% from 188,984 in 2014 to 192,987 in 2016 of these about 40% are undersized or illegal; monofilaments increased from 58 in 2004 to 20,842 in 2016; beach seines increased by 24% from 724 in 2014 to 901 in 2016.
The number of fishers increased by 9% from 40,133 in 2014 to 43,799 in 2016; boats increased by 7% from 13,402 in 2014 to 14365 in 2016. Over 300 illegal gears were impounded in 2015/2016 and Kenya fisheries are in the process of boat registration to give specific identities to crafts for licensing to commence.
This comes at the backdrop that Kenya since the inception of the devolved system of governance no meaningful MCS has been done as well there is little information exchange between counties and national governments.
Meanwhile, Tanzania has the highest MCS activities compared to Uganda and Kenya on Lake Victoria. For instance, for the period January 2016 to March 2017, Tanzania patrols resulted in the confiscation of 19,250 beach seines, 3,171 undersize gill-nets, 9,459 monofilaments, 44 dagaa nets, 84,140 kgs of immature fish and apprehension of 777 culprits.
In Tanzania, fishing vessel licensing is done by a competent authority in collaboration with BMUs. According to the frame survey report 2016, the total number of fishing crafts operating in Tanzanian waters were 31,773.
A total of 18,452 or 58.07% of the total Fishing Crafts are registered and licensed, the highest number on Lake Victoria.
Way forward for MCS on Lake Victoria;
The meeting heard that in spite of all activities including joint regional patrols by partners states on Lake Victoria there is increased illegal fishing as well as catching and trading in immature fish.
Susan Imende deputy Director at Ministry of Fisheries Development Kenya said fisheries managers have to think ‘outside the box’ as illegal users are ahead of them, which is pushing down fish stocks and while joint regional patrols could be effective and are a normal procedure the arrested fishers say they are being harassed.
Samson Abura the LVFO Communication Director said this time it should be ‘ business unusual’ and suggested a database for MCS operations and IUUs to be set up as well as a good plan to show partner governments what is being done.
However, Monor from LVFO was skeptical about sustainability and if suggested activities would create any change. “We have done many activities but get the same results. We shall first increase the appetite of illegal fisheries but what happens after November?,” he asked after the EU funds are used up.
“This is like a ‘knee jack reaction’ because the funds are available. Will it be sustainable and have effective outcomes?” wondered Monor.
ends
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.