By ALEX NJOVU
GOVERNMENT has warned fishermen who have set up permanent bases in breeding areas on Lake Mweru against attacking security officers enforcing the fish ban.
GOVERNMENT has warned fishermen who have set up permanent bases in breeding areas on Lake Mweru against attacking security officers enforcing the fish ban.
Nchelenge district commissioner Joseph Chisakula said in an interview
from Nchelenge yesterday that the fish mongers should work closely with
various government departments in developing the fishing industry in
the country.
Mr Chisakula said recently, a group of fishermen ganged up and attacked government security officersandthe fisheries department officials who were enforcing the current fish ban.
“We are appealing to fish mongers who have set up permanent bases in breeding areas on Lake Mweru to desist from being confrontational, they should not engage in acts of violence,” he said.
He said it is sad that the fishermen have resorted to harassing security wings, a situation he said is retrogressive.
“As government, we condemn what happened, there was no need for the fishermen to attack the security wings who were merely doing their job. We have the capacity to use force as government to remove them from the breeding areas but we don’t want to do that, we want to engage them into meaningful dialogue,” he said.
Mr Chisakula advised the fishermen to be peaceful and work towards developing the fishing industry which he said is one of the sources of income for the local people.
He urged the fish mongers to observe the current fish ban in order to allow fish to breed.
Mr Chisakula expressed concern at the continued use of illegal fishing methods on the lake.
“We gave them a deadline of up to August 30, 2012 to move out from those areas because we want the breeding areas to remain permanently closed like they were in the federal government.
“People can fish in the main lake but not in fish breeding areas because they kill even the smallest fish and destroy the eggs using mosquito nets. Some of them have started moving out but others are defiant,” he said.
Mr Chisakula vowed that government will remove the fishermen from breeding areas.
He said the continued use of illegal fishing methods is a great source of concern to various stakeholders in the district.
Mr Chisakula said many people in the district depend on fishing for income generation, hence the need to come up with measures which will protect the smallest fish from being killed.
He said it is sad that some fishermen are proving to be difficult in working with government in its bid to protect fish.
Mr Chisakula named some of the fish breeding areas as Mpotolo, Kashiru and Mifimbo.
“Those who are refusing to move out from the fish breeding areas will still be moved out. We want to ensure that the breeding areas remain closed. no one will be allowed to set up a camp in those areas, they will be restricted areas,” he said.
Mr Chisakula warned the fishermen who are resisting to move away from the breeding areas that government will dispatch security officers to ‘throw them out’.
“It is sad that the security officers who were dispatched to these areas were harassed and attacked by a group of fishermen, we will not allow this kind of behaviour to continue.
“How can they attack officers who were peaceful and doing the right thing so that fish can continue to breed and contribute positively to the development of the country?” Mr Chisakula wondered.
He said the continued use of illegal fishing methods has led to the depletion of fish stocks in Lake Mweru.
Mr Chisakula said government appreciates the support it receives from traditional leaders in curbing indiscriminate fishing.
Mr Chisakula said recently, a group of fishermen ganged up and attacked government security officersandthe fisheries department officials who were enforcing the current fish ban.
“We are appealing to fish mongers who have set up permanent bases in breeding areas on Lake Mweru to desist from being confrontational, they should not engage in acts of violence,” he said.
He said it is sad that the fishermen have resorted to harassing security wings, a situation he said is retrogressive.
“As government, we condemn what happened, there was no need for the fishermen to attack the security wings who were merely doing their job. We have the capacity to use force as government to remove them from the breeding areas but we don’t want to do that, we want to engage them into meaningful dialogue,” he said.
Mr Chisakula advised the fishermen to be peaceful and work towards developing the fishing industry which he said is one of the sources of income for the local people.
He urged the fish mongers to observe the current fish ban in order to allow fish to breed.
Mr Chisakula expressed concern at the continued use of illegal fishing methods on the lake.
“We gave them a deadline of up to August 30, 2012 to move out from those areas because we want the breeding areas to remain permanently closed like they were in the federal government.
“People can fish in the main lake but not in fish breeding areas because they kill even the smallest fish and destroy the eggs using mosquito nets. Some of them have started moving out but others are defiant,” he said.
Mr Chisakula vowed that government will remove the fishermen from breeding areas.
He said the continued use of illegal fishing methods is a great source of concern to various stakeholders in the district.
Mr Chisakula said many people in the district depend on fishing for income generation, hence the need to come up with measures which will protect the smallest fish from being killed.
He said it is sad that some fishermen are proving to be difficult in working with government in its bid to protect fish.
Mr Chisakula named some of the fish breeding areas as Mpotolo, Kashiru and Mifimbo.
“Those who are refusing to move out from the fish breeding areas will still be moved out. We want to ensure that the breeding areas remain closed. no one will be allowed to set up a camp in those areas, they will be restricted areas,” he said.
Mr Chisakula warned the fishermen who are resisting to move away from the breeding areas that government will dispatch security officers to ‘throw them out’.
“It is sad that the security officers who were dispatched to these areas were harassed and attacked by a group of fishermen, we will not allow this kind of behaviour to continue.
“How can they attack officers who were peaceful and doing the right thing so that fish can continue to breed and contribute positively to the development of the country?” Mr Chisakula wondered.
He said the continued use of illegal fishing methods has led to the depletion of fish stocks in Lake Mweru.
Mr Chisakula said government appreciates the support it receives from traditional leaders in curbing indiscriminate fishing.
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