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An operation against illegal fishing conducted by the Marine Police Unit led to the arrest of 17 poachers in Lake Kivu on Monday.
The operation was conducted at about 11:30pm in part of the lake that touches on Bukiro Village, Karambi Cell of Kivumu Sector in Rutsiro District.
According to the Commanding Officer of Marine Police Unit, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elias Mwesigye, those arrested belong to the same group of poachers, who in most cases conduct the unlawful fishing practices at night in an attempt to avoid arrest.
“We impounded six substandard canoe boats and 16 illicit nets, which they were using. These illegal and dangerous fishing practices affect aquaculture and fish depletion, especially when using such fishing gears that net and kill even the juvenile fish,” ACP Mwesigye said.
“These operations are continuous and aim to arrest anyone that breaches laws and regulations governing aquaculture and fishing in Rwanda. Those who violate the law will be bringing not only financial loses to themselves, because their illegal fishing gears and boats are disposed of, but also they will face the wrath of the law,” he warned.
The law N°58/2008 of 10/09/2008 determining the organization and management of aquaculture and fishing in Rwanda provides that the right to fishing in public waters is only granted by a competent authority, which issues fishing licence.
Any person, who engages in fishing activities without authorisation shall be liable to a fine ranging from Rwf50,000 to Rwf200,000 and an imprisonment of 3 to 6 months or one of them and dispossession of the equipment used.
Article 11 outlaws use of “poisonous substances aimed at stunning, weakening or killing fish; applying explosives; using electromagnetic procedures or electrocution; flashing water with an aim of capturing fish; fishing where water organisms are reproduced.”
Under article 29, any person, who uses techniques, substances or fishing equipment that are prohibited; catches fish in a prohibited area or in prohibited periods; does not immediately return back the species of water organisms prohibited to be caught, those with weight or size that are below the dimensions specified in this law; carries out any act that may lead to destruction of one part in which water organisms are reproduced, or which may destroy any natural site meant for multiplication and reproduction of water organism resource; shall be punished with an imprisonment of 3 months to 12 months and a fine ranging from Rwf200,000 Rwf500,000 or one of the penalties.
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