BUJUMBURA, Oct. 7– Ministers in charge of fisheries and aquaculture in the Lake Victoria basin have agreed to step up efforts against illegal fishing, which they identified as a major challenge facing the sector.
The agreement was reached Tuesday at the eighth Regular Session of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectoral Council of Ministers of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization held in Bujumbura, Burundi’s commercial capital.
The annual meeting brought together delegations from the organization’s member countries, namely Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, as well as representatives from the private sector, to discuss fisheries and aquaculture issues at the East African Community level.
Ng’wasi Damas Kamani, Tanzanian deputy minister for livestock and fisheries, said that fish is a source of food and income. “Lake Victoria is a shared resource, and the management of its fisheries and environment must remain a collective effort involving all partner states.
In fact, fishing, processing, and trade create jobs for communities across the region,” she said. She highlighted the challenges facing the sector, including illegal fishing and declining fish stocks in the lake, adding that these problems lead to job losses for young people and women, as well as economic losses and negative impacts on food security.
Emmanuel Niyungeko, permanent secretary of the Burundian Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, noted that Burundi benefits from being a member of the regional fisheries organization, particularly by drawing on the resources of other member states, which he described as highly advanced in fisheries and aquaculture.
During the discussions, participants agreed on the need for collective efforts to address the challenges of catching and marketing immature fish, while respecting the laws and responsibilities of each partner state. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
