Inside Uganda’s Evolving Fisheries Regulation
When the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) convened a tense evening meeting with fishermen in Kigungu, Entebbe Municipality, the gathering was intended to be routine—another stop in the government’s campaign to engage fishing communities and explain ongoing reforms.
Instead, it became the backdrop for a pivotal directive that could reshape night fishing practices on Uganda’s largest water body.
The FPU Commander, Lt. Col. Mercy Tukahirwa, issued an immediate ban on the use of solar and electric pressure lamps by silver fish operators, responding to mounting fears that the bright artificial lighting used during night fishing is driving Nile perch away from traditional fishing grounds.
The announcement followed hours of debate, with Nile perch dealers voicing frustration that the practice—intended to attract mukene (silver fish)—is displacing the more lucrative Nile perch species and threatening their income.
They argued that the bright lamps distorting the lake’s nighttime environment “drive Nile perch away from their nets,” leaving many fishermen with empty boats at dawn and rising financial uncertainty.
The meeting had drawn fishermen from Kigungu, across Entebbe Municipality, and the broader Wakiso District to the Entebbe Girls’ playground, where the FPU was conducting a consultative session to update the community on government regulatory efforts and upcoming interventions in the fisheries sector.
A Sector Under Pressure: Why Regulation Has Become Urgent
Uganda’s fisheries—once abundant and the foundation of lakeside economies—have faced decades of pressure due to illegal fishing gear, overfishing, habitat destruction, and unregulated competition among different fishing groups.
Lake Victoria, the region’s economic lifeline, supports nearly three million Ugandans directly and indirectly.
Its health determines whether families can afford school fees, whether local markets remain vibrant, and whether exports continue to supply the global demand for high-quality Nile perch.
However, beginning in the early 2000s, the population of mature Nile perch began to decline sharply.
Illegal gillnets, destructive beach seines, unlicensed boats, and unregulated fishing zones worsened the crisis.
In 2017, the government responded by deploying the Fisheries Protection Unit—a military-backed enforcement body—to restore order on the lakes.
The FPU has since enforced bans on illegal nets, closed off breeding grounds, impounded unlicensed boats, and dismantled underground fish-processing networks.
Despite early criticism, the FPU is widely credited with stabilising fish stocks, improving export quality, and returning thousands of immature fish to breeding waters every year.
But challenges remain—particularly the growing technological changes in the silver fishery.
The Controversy Over Electric Lamps
Night fishing for silver fish traditionally relies on small lanterns or simple lighting, but in recent years, fishermen have shifted to powerful solar-powered or electric pressure lamps.
These devices illuminate the lake surface intensely, attracting schools of silver fish into nets but disturbing the natural movement of other species.
According to Nile perch fishermen, the lighting “disrupts fish movement patterns,” pushing Nile perch away from established migration paths and making it difficult to trap them in deep-water gillnets.
For fishermen who rely on Nile perch—a species that fetches higher prices and is central to Uganda’s export market—this disruption represents a serious economic threat.
The FPU’s Decisive Intervention
After listening to the concerns raised in Kigungu, Lt. Col. Mercy Tukahirwa issued a clear directive.
She ordered silver fish dealers to “stop using electric lamps immediately,” emphasizing that the ban applies across all landing sites and fishing zones.
She warned that any fisherman who continues using the banned lights “will face consequences,” signalling that the FPU will intensify night patrols and enforce strict compliance.
Her directive aligns with emerging scientific assessments that bright artificial lighting at night alters the behaviour of multiple fish species, encourages unhealthy competition on the water, and can contribute to over-harvesting.
The ban is intended not only to protect Nile perch populations but also to de-escalate conflict between silver fish operators and Nile perch fishermen—two groups whose livelihoods increasingly intersect, sometimes contentiously, as fish stocks fluctuate.
A Political Undertone at the Meeting
While the meeting was primarily regulatory, it also carried political undertones as fishermen expressed gratitude for government efforts to restore order on the lake.
The group chanted the slogan “Bavubi ku Museveni”, a phrase adopted to show loyalty to Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and signal their support for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ahead of elections.
Many fishermen credited the government with stabilising the sector, arguing that without enforcement, illegal fishing would have pushed Lake Victoria’s resources to near collapse.
A Future Shaped by Sustainability
As the sun set over Kigungu after the meeting, the lake looked calm, but the direction of Uganda’s fishing industry had shifted once again.
The FPU’s latest ban adds a new layer to the country’s evolving regulatory framework—one increasingly rooted in sustainability science, community engagement, and the reality that modern technology can amplify both productivity and conflict.
For fishermen in Kiggungu and beyond, compliance with the new directive may alter familiar nighttime routines, but for the government, the ban represents a crucial step in protecting the long-term viability of Lake Victoria’s fish stocks.
The debate over electric lamps has revealed a deeper truth: as pressures on Uganda’s fisheries grow, regulation will only become more complex—and more urgent.
