Fishermen have the rights to complain on misdeeds done on them

The government has called upon all fishermen who had their fishing gears destroyed mistakenly should forward their claims so that legal measures should be taken against the perpetrators according to the law. The Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Luaga Mpina said yesterday in parliament during question and answer session when he was responding to claims raised by various legislators from Lake Zones. The law makers demanded for the explanations as to why the government has undertaken punitive measures and embarked on destroying fishing gears belonged to fishermen which they say do not conform to the required standard. In responding to such claims, the minister said that, the action which is being taken against fishermen is in line with the violation of rules and laws imposed of protecting marine creatures and committed by them intentionally and when are caught upon using such unauthorized fishing nets the law takes its course. However, the minister further clarified that, although there has been several claims from various parts in the country where fishing is done, the government has finished reviewing such laws and policies which will be out in July this year. 

Luaga Mpina

He said as this is not yet out, the government would continue searching for the defaulters in fishing zones to see those who are still using unauthorized nets and take them to task without failure. He noted that, the new policy will outline types of fishing nets to be used in respective lakes such as Lake Tanganyika, Victoria, Nyasa and elsewhere even in big rivers where fishing is taking place. Earlier, the Geita rural legislator Kashepu Joseph Musukuma (CCM) raised a claim and demanded for the clarification why there has been a spate of destruction of fishnets wherever fishing is taking place causing losses of millions of the properties to fishermen in the country. The deputy minister in the ministry Abdallah Ulega said that, the government has not yet prevented fishing of any kind in those lakes or rivers, except the government is in a move to suppress illegal fishing by use of unwanted fishing gears. However, he clarified that, those whose fishing gears are destroyed are those who violates the laws which restricts that not to use them as they are destroying the breeding places of the marine creatures. However, he also noted that, with the newly introduced policy the ministry will be collaborating with the ministry of industries and trade to see the types of fishing nets required to be used by fishermen in respective fishing zones.