• He attributes the decline to unsustainable fishing practices such as overfishing and the use of illegal gear for which he cited weak oversight and enforcement.
• He says in partnership with Environment ministry, his Agriculture ministry will continue to tackle hyacinth menace in the lake.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri on Thursday raised concerns over the worrying decline in fish stocks and diversity in Lake Victoria.
He said the decline has hurt fish catches by 64 per cent, from 140,000 tonnes to 90,000 tonnes every year in the last five years.
The reduction of fish has posed a threat to livelihoods, food and nutrition security and the viability of the fish export industry.
The CS attributed the declining stocks to unsustainable fishing practices such as overfishing and the use of illegal gear for which he cited weak oversight and enforcement.
The proliferation of water hyacinth, conversion of sensitive shoreline wetlands, political interference in the management of fisheries and weak collaboration between the national and county governments are other challenges.
While presiding over the Nyanza Region Blue Economy Conference in Kisumu, Kiunjuri called for a concerted effort to address the issues affecting fish stocks for the country to benefit fully from the lake.
“My ministry intends to revive fisheries in this region and subsequently raise production to a target of 200,000 tonnes per year by 2022,” he said.
Kiunjuri said Lake Victoria holds great promise to drive not only Nyanza region’s economic growth and wellness but also contribute immensely to the national economy.
The region enjoys part of Africa’s largest lake with a total surface area of 68,800 square kilometres and a catchment area of 193,000 square kilometres.
According to Catch Assessment Survey Report of 2014, the lake contributed 140,000 tonnes of fish, amounting to about 80 per cent of the country’s annual fish landings.
Kiunjuri said sustainable utilisation of Lake Victoria and other water resources in the region is an integral part of the Big Four agenda and socio-economic well-being of communities in the five riparian counties of Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori.
He noted that they are implementing a new policy and institutional framework based on the Fisheries Management and Development Act, 2016 and Kenya Coast Guard Service Act, 2018.
The framework provides for strong enforcement of our fisheries regulations necessary in curbing the menace of illegal fishing, Kiunjuri added.
Management of industry
The ministry is currently undertaking rehabilitation of six landing sites at Mulukoba in Busia, Lwanda Kotieno and Wichlum in Siaya, Ogal in Kisumu, Nyandhiwa in Homabay and Sori in Migori.
The CS revealed that they intend to develop more fish landing sites to improve the handling of fish, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance income and access of fish to the international market.
Other measures to be undertaken by the ministry include employment and deployment of more staff in the national fisheries station, incubation of fisheries and aquaculture enterprises.
The government also focuses on management of the Nile Perch fishery to increase export earnings, promotion of the Tilapia and Dagaa fishery to contribute to increased per capita fish consumption and food security, livelihoods and well-being of communities in the region.
The ministry will also support engagement in alternative livelihoods in order to reduce pressure on the fishery of Lake Victoria, he said.
Some of the engagements include promotion of Cage Culture farming, the establishment of fish feed cottage industries and setting up community-based hatcheries.
Others are elevation and development of Kabonyo fish farm into an aquaculture training and rehabilitation of Economic Stimulus Program (ESP) ponds.
The ministry, he said, in partnership with the Environment ministry will continue to control the water hyacinth menace through the establishment of the Aquatic Weed Control Unit that seeks to promote utilisation of the weed for commercial purposes.
Kiunjuri urged counties around Lake Victoria to take advantage of massive potential opportunities to grow the region’s economy.
He said Blue Economy represents an emerging human development frontier on the sustainable utilisation of water resources such as oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, wetlands and water catchment areas.
“These resources are critical for among other things, the achievement of food and nutrition security, improved livelihoods, and employment for our people."
With the immense potential benefits of the Blue Economy, he said, the government has recognised it as the New Frontier for Development and identified it as the eighth Economic Pillar for the achievement of Vision 2030.
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o said the sector contributes about one percent to the Gross Domestic Product at farm gate price.
It provides direct employment opportunities to more than 500,000 people and supports more than two million people indirectly.
The lake, Nyong’o said, accounts for over 95 per cent of freshwater fishing in the country.
He said fishing in could be more productive with the use of modern fishing practices, regulation to prevent overfishing and general maintenance of the health of the lake.
Edited by R.Wamochie