Insecurity in South Sudan’s Yei River State since the beginning of this year has affected fishing activities in the area, a local official said.
Milton Ismail, Director of Animal and Fisheries in Yei, told Radio Tamazuj that fishermen and farmers fled to other locations and neighbouring countries in search of safety.
He pointed out that famous fishing ponds in Mugwo and Otogo Counties were abandoned due to rampant insecurity in the area. Milton further said organisations such as UMCOR and SSUHA which are supporting the fishing industry decided to suspend their activities, resulting into poor harvest this year.
The official appealed to the warring parties to bring an end to the ongoing conflict so farmers and fishermen can continue with their activities to generate more revenues for the sake of development in the country.
Milton noted that his state is blessed with potential fish farming sites in which potential investors have expressed interest to improve the fishing industry when there is peace and stability.
“Construction of fish ponds requires a lot of funds. In Yei, we have potential sites with sustainable water sources, so our land is suitable for fishing. We are inviting our investors to come back to Yei when there is peace and stability,” said Milton.