Masaka FPU impounds illegal Fishing gear, 14 suspects arrested

By Norman Kabugu

Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) in greater Masaka commanded by sector commander Katamba Ssemakula arrested over fourteen suspects, and impounded tonnes of immature Nile perch, illegal Fishing gear nets ,boxes of undersized fish which were later destroyed at Kasijagirwa barracks.

Katamba told the our reporter that the illicit fishing nets and boxes of containing immature fish were impounded by the operatives attached to FPU at Kamaliba landing site in Kalungu district after getting the information that business man Sulaiman Kaweesi had started fishing immature fish again and few weeks back FPU officials impounded his immature fish which was in the process to go outside the country.

The assistant Fisheries officer covering Kalungu district Joseph Kasumba , revealed to journalists that the operation leading to the undersized fish, nets was prompted by the FPU operatives and managed to discover some of the items abandoned by fishermen who fled to avoid arrest but also managed to arrest some suspects.

Kasumba appealed to judiciary to give maximum penalty to all those ones dealing in illegal Fishing activities some even the rest can get a lesson and according to the law if someone she or he captured with immature fish is expected to be fined one hundred million or to be imprisoned for three year or both.

The LCV boss Kalangala Rajab Ssemakula appreciated the leadership of Lt Col Mercy Tukahirwa the commander FPU Uganda for squeezing the balls of the entire so called untouchable and appealed to her to continue because even those ones who have been selling Immature fish will reduce in number and start dealing in mature fish.

The sector commander Katamba Ssemakula warned all those dealing in illegal activities to turn to God and attributed them as the first rebels to the economy of the country yet in the long run they need good hospitals, Good Roads Schools and other developmental things from the government.

Sector commander Katamba says that after impounding all the illegal items were taken to FPU base in Kasijagirwa barracks and later asked the magistrate Grade 1 Lukaaya Asuman Muhumuzi who ordered them to dispose of the following items 2,400kgs of salted and smoked undersized Nile perch,100kgs of fresh undersized Nile perch which was done in presence of the district officials.

Katamba made a sounding warning to all fishermen dealing in silver fish to stop involving themselves in illegal immature Nile perch and he is not going to tolerate such dubious activities to continue during his regime because the government is losing billions of money.

It should be remembered that a few days back FPU operatives impounded boxes of immature fish at the home of Sulaiman Kaweesi in Kalungu and all were burnt from the FPU base Kasijagirwa barracks.

NB, Sector commander Katamba Ssemakula while delivering his massage and the rest are some of the photos showing the impounded immature fish plus the suspects at Kasijagirwa barracks FPU base