Three east African countries call for lifting EU ban on fisheries

Fisheries ministers of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have called for lifting the ban on fisheries exports to the European market.

In a joint statement released at the end of their meeting, the three ministers said they have reconfirmed to the European Union that fish coming from Victoria Lake is safe for consumption as no pesticides nor heavy metals was detected in a sample.

Presently fish of the Victoria Lake are consumed in Japan, the USA, Australia and the Middle East, they said deploring the socioeconomic hardships in terms of job and income losses that the nine month-long ban has on the three African countries.

Last March, the European Union decided to suspend the importation of fresh fish from the Victoria Lake after reports that fishermen used pesticides.