|
Illegal fishing blamed on EU buyers demand for 100 gm nile perch fillets
17th April 2003
SEAFOOD.COM NEWS
Some European fish dealers are luring Ugandan fishermen to catch immature fish, endangering the country's fish stocks, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries said yesterday.
The ministry said the fish dealers were sending orders for fish fillet of about 100g, 'which must come from very young fish, reasoning that they are healthier.'
Agriculture minister, Kisamba Mugerwa and Dr. Fabius Byaruhanga, the State Minister for Fisheries, told journalists that fish of about two or three months was being caught with illegal nets to satisfy this market.
The ministers said the demand for immature fish was also high in the local and regional markets.
They said nets of less than seven inches were prohibited on L. Victoria.
Kisamba said illegal fishing was andangering the livelihood of some 2.5m people who were directly benefiting from fishing and in fish processing.
He said the country earns US$81m from the fishing industry.
E-mail comments to jsackton@seafood.com
John Sackton, Editor
Top
|
