GOVERNMENT has issued a sevenday ultimatum to the Board of the Dar es Salaam Fish Market to arrest 13 suspects who abandoned a 1.3-ton consignment of fish at the market.
Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries
Development Minister, Dr Charles Tizeba, saw the fish illegally caught
through dynamite fishing. The consignment, with various types of fish,
was brought to the market last Friday after thorough inspection at three
zones.
The suspects are alleged to have
disappeared sensing arrest. Dr Tizeba ordered the immediate arrest and
prosecution of the suspects. He revealed that government plans to table a
Bill in the National Assembly that would propose amendments to the
current Tanzania Fishing Act to declare dynamite fishing as economic
sabotage.
The minister, speaking to authorities at
the fish market, was angered by illegal fishing activities and deeply
disappointed why the criminals were not arrested. He asked the Market’s
Board Chairman to review the reception system at the ferry as well as
strengthen supervision and security.
“If you fail to do all that, I’ll talk
to the Ilala Municipal Council authorities so that they supervise this
ferry. Automatically, you’ll have lost your job,’’ he said.
He said that Tanzania is a country being
accused of illegal fishing, adding that that it was a shame when such
acts were taking place near the State House. “It is a pity that all the
suspects disappeared without being arrested. I want all of them to be
arrested and their names be published for Tanzanians to see,” he said.
Dr Tizeba said that dynamite fishing was
equally dangerous to all other living organisms and may may undermine
the fishing industry. On legislation, he said the government will table
the amendments in the Fishing Act under a Certificate of Urgency so that
people convicted of illegal fishing do not pay fines but are treated as
economic saboteurs.
“The current law that was enacted in
2003 and its regulations prepared in 2009 need amendments we abolish
dynamite fishing,” he added.
Explaining how the consignment was
seized, the head of the livestock and fishing at the Ilala Municipal
Council, Msongo Songoro, said he received intelligence reports over
dynamite fishing on December 16 at 4:30 am and a thorough inspection was
carried out before the seizure of consignment.
“We are now seeking an inventory from the police force so that we can destroy the fish,” he said
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