Lake Naivasha fishing nears collapse, ban considered

Nakuru county is considering a fishing ban in Lake Naivasha to save the fishing sector from collapse due to illegal fishing and small-mesh nets.

The sector could soon collapse without swift and severe interventions. The county is forming a task to make recommendations on saving the lake.

“Currently Lake Naivasha has so many challenges including over-fishing and we are considering a fishing ban but we shall allow the task force to present its report,” Agriculture CEC Immaculate Maina said on Tuesday.

Speaking after visiting Karagita landing beach in Naivasha, Maina said the lake was under high pressure from various quarters.

She said the task force would be launched in two weeks and make recommendations in a month.

Overutilisation of lake resources will make fishing unsustainable, Maina said.

“After the closure of hotels and flower farms in Naivasha, the jobless workers flooded the lake leading to over fishing, hence, the need for action,” she said.

The county has engaged the Kenya Coast Guard to help deal with poachers who have invaded the lake in the last two months.

“Both the licensed and illegal fishermen on the lake have failed to adhere to the law and it’s clear that we have to reduce the number of boats,” she said.

The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (Kemfri) has warned the sector may not recover without swift and major interventions.

It said there are too many boats and illegal boat and foot fishermen are using undersized nets to sweep up immature fish.

CEC for Trade Raymond Komen said the recently opened Inland Container Depot would change the face of the county, increase revenue and job opportunities.

He said with the ICD and SGR station complete, Naivasha would be a hub of business and residents would be able to work in transport, clearing and forwarding offices.

“We have petitioned to the Ministry of Transport asking that local traders be the first beneficiaries of the employment opportunities in the Special Economic Zone,” he said.

(Edited by V. Graham)