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Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A panicky fisherman died in the Lake Albert waters in Hoima district after seeing an approaching crew of Fisheries Protection Unit-FPU personnel.
The deceased has only been identified as Owonda, a fisherman attached to Kijangi landing site in Tonya parish, Buseruka sub county, Hoima district. The incident happened on Sunday at around 10am.
It is alleged that the deceased together with three other fishermen whose names are yet to be established had gone fishing when they saw the mean looking FPU team who accused them of using illegal fishing gear.
Jonah Ndahura, the defense secretary Kijangi landing site told Uganda Radio Network in an interview on Monday that after seeing the FPU operatives challenging them, Owonda jumped into the lake and died on the spot.
The other two remained calm and escaped the boat accident.
A team of marine police and local fishermen teamed up and retrieved the body on Sunday evening. The body was later handed over to the relatives for burial.
FPU has not yet commented on the matter as our repeated phone calls to Lt. Lauben Ndifula, the spokesperson FPU went unanswered.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson confirmed the incident saying they have launched investigations.
Since August, the FPU operatives have been conducting operations against illegal fishing gear on the lake Albert waters.
The operation is targeting undersized boats, fishing nets, hooks and monofilament nets among others.
In September alone, FPU impounded and destroyed more than 300,000 pieces of illegal fishing gear countrywide. The destroyed fishing gear included boats, monofilament nets, solar batteries, bulbs, hooks, and immature fish among others.
The 319,000 items were confiscated and destroyed in Ntoroko, Butiaba, Namayingo, Kalangala, Serere, Kasese, Jinja, Buvuma, Rukungiri, Kwania, Buyende, Masaka, Kayunga, Mpigi, Buikwe, Apac and Mukono among others.
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