Rwanda National Police

Police have cautioned against illegal activities in water bodies and intensified operations to fight acts that affect aquatic animals and endanger people's lives.

The Commanding Officer for the Police Marine Unit, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elias Mwesigye said that increased operations in water bodies in different parts of the country led to the arrest of over 160 poachers between January and July, this year.

"We also seized over 5300 illegal or substandard fishing nets during the same period," ACP Mwesigye said.

The operations, he explained, are done alongside awareness campaigns teaching people about the law, legal and illegal fishing practices, water safety and people’s role in maritime security.

"The intensified campaigns on marine safety are meant to also reduce or eliminate accidents resulting from substandard vessels, not wearing life-jackets and abuse of water safety standards," he added.

At least 65 people have drowned in this year's first seven month, according to Police records.

The marine Commanding Officer explained that drowning cases are related to unaccompanied children playing on the side of lakes and rivers, lack of swimming skills, use of substandard boats, lack of safety gear like life jackets, drunkenness and suicide, among others.

He further explained that because of their vast area, shared lakes, especially Kivu, are susceptible to marine-related crimes.

He said that 96 percent of the impounded illicit fishing nets were from Lake Kive alone.

"The increased operations and joint sensitization with local leaders, targeting specific groups like communities living near these water bodies, fishermen and passengers, is also meant to fight smuggling and drug trafficking, which are common in shared lakes especially Kivu, and to discourage farming practices which are within the buffer zone (50 metres)," ACP Mwesigye said.

Rwanda has 34 lakes, three of them shared with neighbouring countries.

The shared lakes are Lake Kivu which crosses to Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as lake Rweru and Cyohoha shared with Burundi.