MPs Panic over Army Directives of Fishmaw
Trade
By Admin
Members of parliament representing fishing
communities are panicking over new directives by the Fish Protection Unit which banned trade of Fishmaws.
MPs have tasked the minister in charge of fisheries to come-out clearly to denounce the army directives which are illegal and ridiculous according to them.
Recently, the Fishmaw became more lucrative than the fish itself after a discovery of it’s market in China.
Uganda fetches about 195bn shilings from Fish maw exports annually but fishmaw dealers are engulfed with a scale of challenges.
A section of members of parliament representing areas on shores of Lake Victoria, addressed a press conference at parliament and denounced the ban of Fishmaw trade which was allegedly declared by the Fish Protection Unit of UPDF.
MPs reported that the new guidelines have suppressed economic activities on the lake.
UPDF was first deployed on the lake in 2017 on a presidential directive to combat illegal fishing practices and protect the fish resource that was in threat of depletion.
Led by the Buvuma Island representative Robert Migadde Ndugwa, MPs revealed that the ban on fishmaw trade has been influenced by a cartel which wants to monopolize the fishing sector.
Legislators are concerned that the ban on fishmaw trade is directly paralysing other sectors like Fish smoking which has been employing a number of women and the fishing of silver fish.
What is puzzling Legislators is the fact that the minister of state for fisheries Hellen Adoa together with the Director Fisheries in the ministry are not aware of the new regulations enforced by the Fish Protection Unit. They have asked the minister to come out clearly on the matter that is causing panic in the Island communities.
In May, Parliament approved an 8% tax levy on fish maw exports following the passing of the Fish(Amendment) Bill, 2021
