LILIAN CHIKANDI writes
THREE fishermen have been arrested in Chirundu District, Lusaka Province, for using prohibited fishing gear and threatening an enforcement committee with violence.
The fishermen, of Bendele Village in Sikoongo Chiefdom, were found using a handmade mosquito net also locally known as ‘chikukula’ threatened the fisheries committee at Bendele Fishing Camp on Wednesday last week.
Charles Kaleyanungu, 28, Innocent Halema and Enerst Kanengu, both aged 27 years and all of Bendele Village were arrested for using an illegal fishing method. They were also found with eight two-inch fishing nets, which are also prohibited.
They have been charged with using illegal fishing gear under the Fisheries Act number 22 of 2011.
The fishermen have since been released on bond and will appear in court soon.
The Department of Livestock and Fisheries has urged the people of Chirundu to respect community fisheries committees because they have the full support of the government and Lower Zambezi Fisheries Management Project.
An official who asked not to be identified because he is not the official spokesperson, has also thanked the Department of National Parks and Wildlife for its support.
With support from the European Union the project is being implemented by Conservation Lower Zambezi and Harvest Help Zambia.
Fishermen have also been warned to desist from using wrong fishing methods because they deplete fish stocks in the river.
Meanwhile, a resident, Dickson Kalumanda, has thanked the Chirundu Member of Parliament Douglas Syakalima for visiting Sikoongo Ward to interact and appreciate the many challenges in the area.
Mr Kalumanda said people were grateful to Mr Syakalima for going back to thank them for voting for him.
He said the youths in the ward had expressed happiness especially that Mr Syakalima had donated four footballs to four teams in the ward so that they could keep themselves busy through sports and refrain from vices such as alcohol abuse.
And yesterday while in Lusitu Ward Mr Syakalima said government should consider declaring Chirundu a hunger-stricken district and think of helping the local people first before donating items to Cyclone Idai victims in other countries.
