Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2023 (No. 5 of 2023).

This Act lays down provisions on the administration, management and development of fisheries and aquaculture; functions of the Directorate of Fisheries Resources and Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Committee; establishment, functions and powers of the Fisheries Monitoring Control and Surveillance Unit; functions of local governments and District Fisheries Officers; fisheries co-management structures; sustainable fisheries and aquaculture management through management of fishing capacity and fisheries resources stock; licensing and special permits for fisheries and aquaculture activities; regulation of aquaculture practices; safety and quality assurance of fish and fish products; regulation of vehicles, fishing vessels and fishing gear; offences, penalties and fees; cooperation in fisheries management; and access to and management of fisheries information. This Act shall apply to all waters within the jurisdiction of Uganda; all fisheries and aquaculture activities; and any fishing vessel registered in Uganda and to any act or omission occuring on or by that vessel wherever the vessel may be. This Act prohibits foreign fishing vessels to be used for commercial fishing in the waters of Uganda.
The purposes of this Act are: (I) to provide for the control and regulation of all fisheries and aquaculture production activities and practices in an integrated manner to achieve conservation and sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits for the present and future generations, (II) to provide for the administration, management and coordination of fisheries and aquaculture with local governments and other stakeholders at all levels, (III) to create a sustainably financed Directorate for the management of the fisheries subsector with clearly defined structures and linkages between the mandates of central and local governments and the private sector; (IV) to promote and guide public participation in the management and conservation of fisheries resources, including women, youth and other vulnerable groups, (V) to promote the competitiveness of the fisheries and aquaculture subsector and the diversification of fish and fish products, (VI) to promote and guide public private partnerships in fish production, value addition and marketing, (VII) to guarantee quality and safety of fish and fish products, including biosafety and biosecurity, (VIII) to promote research-based decision making and sharing of information and data, and (IX) to provide for the mechanization of fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic weed management.
Article 7 lists the functions of the Directorate of Fisheries Resources, such as developing standards on the management, sustainable use, development and protection of all fisheries and aquaculture resources; monitoring and inspecting aquaculture establishments under this Act; licensing all fishing vessels and fishing gears; raising public awareness on fisheries conservation, management, development and sustainable use; coordinating research activities falling within the scope of this Act in consultation with the Fishery Research Institute; strengthening fisheries and aquaculture data collection and dissemination; establishing and maintaining information; management systems on fisheries and aquaculture; ensuring safety and quality of fish, fish products and aquaculture products in both the domestic and international markets; facilitating investment in commercial fisheries; promoting the development and introduction of appropriate technologies in fisheries and aquaculture production, processing and conservation; promoting fisheries and aquaculture marketing; and undertaking monitoring, control and surveillance of all activities within the scope of this Act.
The officers of the Surveillance Unit have powers of inspection and search, including the powers to seizure of fish and fish products unfit for human consumption. The Chief Fisheries Officer shall prescribe standards for hygienic and quality production of and minimum standards for safety and quality assurance for fish and fish products, in order to ensure that consumers are supplied with safe, wholesome and unadulterated fish and fish products. This Act sets out obligations relating to the labelling and traceability of fish and fish products; export of fish and fish products with an export permit and a fish health certificate; inspection of imported products at the port of entry; and the utilization of permitted food additivies.
This Act obliges the persons engaged in aquaculture for commercial purposes to carry out environmental and social impact assessments in accordance with the National Environment Act of 2019; to take safety and quality measures in the aquaculture establishments; to prevent and control contaminants and other disease-causing agents arising from the air, soil, water, feed, fertilizers, veterinary drugs and agricultural chemicals, including pesticides; to use permitted fish feeds and approved veterinary drugs in the aquaculture establishment; and to notify the authorized officer in case of suspicion or occurence of disease.