Nile perch centre to be established in Kisumu

The government will partner with an investor from Israel to build a centre of excellence for Nile perch multiplication in Kisumu.

The aim is to increase fish stocks in Lake Victoria.

The project, to be established at Kabonyo-Kanyagwal lakeshore in Nyando subcounty, will include a Nile perch multiplication centre, training centre and aquaculture value chain.

State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Blue Economy PS Francis Owino said the facility will be built on 490 acres.

He spoke at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu during multi-agency stakeholders’ coordination and consultation meeting on the Lake Victoria blue economy on Monday.

The meeting brought together Beach Management Units representatives, officials from the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Coast Guard Service, Kenya Fisheries Service and national government administration officers from the lake counties.

Owino said the government has already forwarded a proposal to the development partner who has expressed interest in the project.

He said government land will be handed over to the investor, who is expected in the country in February to carry out a feasibility study.

“He will do a detailed feasibility study to see whether they can be interested in unlocking the potential in Kabonyo/Kanyagwal ward,” Owino said.

In addition, he said, the government was in discussions with the International Fund for Agricultural Development to see how best the land can be used to promote fish farming and aquaculture.

 “The IFAD mission has already visited the site and we will present a strong case during the Medium Term Review meeting to be held in January to see how we can partner with them to roll out these initiatives,” Owino said.

The PS said declining fish stocks in Lake Victoria is a major concern that requires concerted efforts to save the once giant fish producer.

Production of fish from the lake has dropped from 200,000 tonnes in 2012 to 90,000 tonnes in 2021, KFS said.

The figure is expected to drop further with the rise in illegal fishing.

He said focus is now shifting from traditional fishing to fish farming to meet the shortage.

Owino said the ministry has reached out to firms engaged in cage fish farming to pass on the technology and skills to local farmers.

Alongside this, he said, the government was in the process of building modern landing sites on the shores of the lake.

The government will build two landing sites at Lwanda Kotieno in Siaya county and Sori in Migori county for Sh140 million this financial year. Each will cost Sh70 million.

“Our plan is to build and complete the two landing sites as we mobilise more funds to construct the remaining four sites next financial year. We do not want white elephants. We want projects that are completed,” he said.

Owino said a multiagency team that includes the Kenya Coast Guard Service and national government administration officers was on course to arrest piracy and illegal fishing.

“We are enforcing usage of proper fishing gear and registration of fishing boats to account for the fishermen within our waters,” he said.

Owino said investors have brought in substantial resources to invest in the sector.

“We are also negotiating with Victory firms, which are in Sindo, to transfer technology to our fisherfolk along the lake,” he said.

Nyanza regional beach management units chairman Tom Guda decried the depletion of fish in the lake.

He attributed the decline of fish stocks to pollution, overfishing, open access, increase in illegalities and water hyacinth.

“We are in this meeting to discuss and find out what has caused dwindling fish stock in the lake and how to salvage the situation,” Guda said.

He said cage fish farming should not benefit a few individuals but the thousands of fishermen and locals who depend on the lake for their livelihoods.

He urged the government to tackle insecurity and control industries that discharge raw effluent into the lake.

Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya