Illegal fishing nets destroyed in Nyamasheke District

NYAMASHEKE – Security authorities together with Nyamasheke district leaders on Wednesday set on fire illegal fishing nets worth Rwf16million, which were seized from different sectors of the district. The exercise took place at the shores of Lake Kivu in Kanjongo sector. Razaro Muhimana, the president of Nyamasheke Taskforce in charge of patrolling Lake Kivu and fighting against smuggling in the district, said that the materials set ablaze included 30 fishing nets of the Kaningi type which are used to catch small fish (Isambaza) and 78 fishing nets of super net types.

Friday, March 05, 2010
A heap of some of the illegal fishing nets before authorities set them ablaze in Kanjongo sector in Nyamasheke district. (Photo: S. Mugisha)

NYAMASHEKE – Security authorities together with Nyamasheke district leaders on Wednesday set on fire illegal fishing nets worth Rwf16million, which were seized from different sectors of the district.

The exercise took place at the shores of Lake Kivu in Kanjongo sector.

Razaro Muhimana, the president of Nyamasheke Taskforce in charge of patrolling Lake Kivu and fighting against smuggling in the district, said that the materials set ablaze included 30 fishing nets of the Kaningi type which are used to catch small fish (Isambaza) and 78 fishing nets of super net types.

He disclosed that the materials were impounded by authorities from Kanjongo, Kagano, Mahembe and Kirimbi sectors in the past two months.

"The main objective of setting ablaze these illegal fishing nets is to prevent their use in Lake Kivu because they hinder the development of the fishing industry in the region” Muhimana said.

He added that they would step up the crack down on illegal fishing gear which is smuggled into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

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