BUJUMBURA, 7 October (Xinhua) — Burundi hosted on Tuesday the 8th ordinary session of the Sectoral Council of Ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Sectors Organization (LVFO) and representatives of the member countries, who agreed on the need to work together to combat illegal fishing, which is considered a major challenge.
This annual ministerial meeting was devoted to exchanges on the subjects of fisheries and aquaculture at the level of the East African Community and brought together delegations from the member countries of this organization, namely Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, as well as actors from the private sector operating in the fisheries sector.
In her speech, Ng’wasi Damas Kamani, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, said that fish is a source of food and income, while fishing, processing and trade create jobs for people across the region.
« Since Lake Victoria is a shared resource, the management of its fisheries resources and its environment must remain a collective effort involving all partner states, » she stressed.
Ms. Kamani has taken on the challenges that affect this sector, including illegal fishing and the reduction of fish in the lake. Added to this is the low valuation of data on fish stocks that are in aquaculture areas or in lakes. For this Tanzanian leader, these difficulties lead to job losses for young people and women and this situation weighs on the economy and compromises food security.
For his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Burundian Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Emmanuel Niyungeko, pointed out that Burundi is taking advantage of its membership of the LVFO, especially by drawing inspiration from the other Member States that he described as very advanced in fisheries and aquaculture.
During the exchanges, the speakers converged on the need for collective efforts to solve problems related to the capture and marketing of immature fish, while respecting the laws and responsibilities of each partner state. This will ensure a sustainable supply of raw materials for fish processing units in the region.
