Four people killed in clash between Tanzanian police and illegal fishermen

A policeman and three villagers were killed in a shootout between law enforcement and local officials accused of illegally fishing on Lake Victoria, said a senior official on Tuesday.

The lake, like many so-called Great Lakes in East Africa, has been hit hard by overfishing, which has resulted in increasing clashes between pbaders-by and authorities.

John Mongella, governor of the Mwanza region in northern Tanzania, told ITV Television that a fight had erupted between local fishermen and a police unit fighting illegal fishing.

"Shots were fired, killing three villagers, and the villagers fired at the person leading the patrol unit," Mongella said.

Tanzanian authorities have stepped up their patrols on the lake.

Jumanne Muliro, police commander for the Mwanza region, said the police unit had seized nets used for illegal fishing on the island of Siza.

"The village chief called the owners of the nets who, on their arrival, attacked our unit," he said, adding that the police then opened fire.

Lake Victoria, which extends to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and also covers Burundi and Rwanda, is known for its unique biodiversity.

Last year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) warned that the plant and animal life of Lake Victoria was being "decimated", with 20% of species being threatened with extinction.

This was due to climate change, industrial and agricultural pollution and poor fishing practices.

A report warned that this could prove disastrous for lakeside communities.

Overfishing across the world is upsetting delicate ecosystems, but also affecting the livelihoods of millions of people.

In East Africa, conflicts are worsening for increasingly scarce lake resources.

Uganda has stepped up security on Lakes Edward and Albert, which straddle the Democratic Republic of Congo whose fishermen are increasingly venturing into Ugandan waters due to stock depletion.