DAR ES SALAAM, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's northwest district of Musoma on the shores of Lake Victoria plans to use mobile courts to speed up determination of illegal fishing cases in Africa's largest lake, authorities said on Saturday.
Vincent Naano, Musoma District Commissioner, said the use of mobile courts will speed up the hearing of illegal fishing cases since most of those involved in the malpractice live in remote villages along the lake.
Tanzanian authorities have said that illegal fishing in Lake Victoria shared by Kenya and Uganda has immensely reduced fish catches,
Naano said the decision to use mobile courts followed the rise on illegal fishing by fishers from remote villages along the lake -- home to Nile Perch and Tilapia.
"Some of fish processing industries along the lake have been forced to close down due to poor supply of fish," Naano told a news conference on the lake shore district of Musoma.
He appealed to people using illegal fishing gear to drop the malpractice or face punitive punishment.
Some of Musoma district residents have commended the decision to use mobile courts.
Makongo Kalisa, a resident in the area, suggested that there should be joint patrol operations to end illegal fishing within all districts along Lake Victoria.
