After eight years of silence, the sounds of boats and nets returned to Lulindi and Kagoonya landing sites on May 25 as Kalangala District officially reopened the shores to fishing. But the message from authorities was blunt: break the rules again, and the sites will shut once more.
‘We shall not be merciful to any landing site that still shields fishermen involved in illegal fishing in Kalangala,’ said Resident District Commissioner Fred Badda. ‘When we find one person engaging in illegal fishing, that landing site will be closed until they repent.’
The two landing sites in Bufumira sub-county were among dozens closed in 2017 during operations by the Fisheries Protection Unit. They reopened only after fishermen pledged to follow new fisheries regulations.
Badda said illegal fishing is undermining efforts to restore fish stocks in Lake Victoria.
‘We are fighting hard to ensure that fish stocks recover in the lake and continuing illegal fishing activities takes us backwards in achieving our goal,’ he said.
To enforce the new rules, fresh fisheries committees were elected at both sites. They will operate under parish, sub-county, and district fisheries committees, with support from the UPDF 155 Battalion. The committees are made up of indigenous fishermen who volunteered to help eliminate illegal practices in their communities.
The RDC made clear that violations would carry consequences for individuals and leaders alike. Any fisherman caught breaking the law will face prosecution, while committee members who fail to enforce regulations risk dismissal.
For Lulindi, the closure had been devastating.
‘We became very poor and many children stopped going to school because fishermen had no source of income,’ said chairperson Tadius Mwesigwa. Some turned to farming, but most only had access to land for low-value crops like beans, rice, and soya beans.
Before 2017, Lulindi had more than 50 boats, many undersized and used for illegal fishing. Now it operates with 10 legally approved boats, and residents are buying timber to build more that meet standards.
‘They have started buying timber to make boats that are allowed on the lake,’ Mwesigwa said. ‘We hope that if these operations continue, we shall have a clean and productive lake and people will again earn a living.’
Local leaders estimate more than 30 people directly depend on the 10 boats through fishing, fuel supply, repairs, and net preparation.
District Fisheries Officer Adrian Kavuma said illegal gear remains the biggest threat to Lake Victoria’s fish stocks.
‘For example, illegal fishing nets catch about 250 million immature fish daily, leaving Lake Victoria’s most valuable species – Nile Perch, under serious threat,’ he said.
Cheap and often handmade nets like monofilament, beach seines, and undersized gill nets target tilapia below five inches and Nile Perch below seven inches, he explained.
‘If we can save 250 million fish every day over a period of six years, we shall have enough fish stock in the lake,’ Kavuma said.