OVER 396 PEOPLE IN ZAMBIA WERE ARRESTED AND SOME AMONG THEM CONVICTED DURING THE 2010-2011 FISH BAN PERIOD

OVER 396 PEOPLE IN ZAMBIA WERE ARRESTED AND SOME AMONG THEM CONVICTED DURING THE 2010-2011 FISH BAN PERIOD WHICH RUN FROM 31ST DECEMBER, 2010 TO THE END OF FEBRUARY 2011.

SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ARRESTED ARE SERVING JAIL SENTENCES RANGING FROM 6 MONTHS TO THREE YEARS.

AND A TOTAL OF 17.5MILLION KWACHA WAS RAISED DURING THE SAME PERIOD WHICH CAME FROM THE COURT FINES AND SALE OF CONFISCATED FISH.

DELIVERING A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT THIS MORNING, LIVESTOCK AND FISHERIES MINISTER BRADFORD MACHILA EXPLAINED THAT THE FISH BAN HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED CONSIDERING THE FISH DEPLETION THAT THE COUNTRY HAS BEING EXPERIENCING IN THE RECENT PAST.

MR. MACHILA ADDS THAT PROMOTING AQUA-CULTURE IS ANOTHER PROGRAMME THAT GOVERNMENT IS IMPLEMENTING IN ENSURING THAT THE FISH DEPLETION IS AVERTED.

HE HOWEVER EXPLAINED THAT DURING THE SAME PERIOD THE FISH BAN WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED ON THE LAKE KARIBA AND TANGANYIKA AS THEY ARE BEING MANAGED UNDER DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL WHERE THE BAN DOES NOT APPLY.

MR. MACHILA HAS FURTHER CALLED ON THE ZAMBIANS TO SAFE GUARD THE FISH THAT THE COUNTRY HAS IF THE FUTURE GENERATION ARE TO BENEFIT FROM IT.

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