Burundi: Congolese navy releases 26 Burundian fishermen on Tanganyika Lake

Bujumbura, Burundi (PANA) – The Congolese navy on Saturday evening released 26 Burundian fishermen after three days of detention for using prohibited fishing nets in the waters of Lake Tanganyika, which is shared by four two countries, Burundian national radio reported on Sunday.

The radio said that the detention was a reprisal measure against the seizure and destruction of prohibited nets that had been used in the lake by the Congolese, in violation of the fishing conventions signed between the two countries.

Incidents of theft of fishing gear or exceeding quotas in Lake Tanganyika are regularly reported by the media in the two countries.

Inland waters are composed mainly by the Tanganyika Lake in the southwest which occupies an area of 2,280 square meters out of 31,000 square meters water.

Fish represents 34% of the total animal protein consumed in Burundi, say nutrition specialists.

The four countries sharing the waters of Lake Tanganyika are Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia.
-0- PANA FB/BEH/MSA/MA 13July2014