Fishermen in Homa Bay have been urged to comply with fishing regulations in Lake Victoria to avoid getting into trouble with coast guards.
Homa Bay county commissioner Moses Lilan said Kenya Coast Guard Service officials were there to protect and safeguard Kenyans using the lake.
He said the officers are allowed to arrest and charge any fisherman found violating fisheries regulations in the lake.
Lilan was responding to fishermen who complained that some Kenya Coast Guard Service officers have been harassing them during their fishing expeditions.
Some fishermen accused the KCGS officers of mistreating them, saying they ask them to pay fines after making small mistakes.
“They ask for a fine of Sh5,000 if they find have not put on a life jacket properly. Some forcefully take your catch if you don't have money to pay the fine,” a fisherman claimed.
But Lilan said most fishermen ignore maritime laws because of limited activities by security officers in the lake.
He said coast guards only arrest fishermen who fail to comply with the law.
“We know fishermen who disregard the fisheries rules. Previously, there were a lot of illegal practices like trade in contraband goods, drug trafficking, illegal fishing and even piracy,” Lilan said.
The government established KCGS unit in Mbita town, Suba North constituency, in December last year to safeguard fishermen and operations in the lake.
Lilan said fishermen find it difficult to work with KCGS officers because they used to disregard the law before the unit was established.
Homa Bay Beach Management Unit chairman Edward Oremo asked fishermen to avoid engaging in unlawful fishing activities.
“KCGS team has eradicated illegal fishing through crackdowns in the lake. Let fishermen comply with the law to avoid arrest,” he said.
KCGS is a specialised maritime force responsible for law enforcement in national waters, including in the oceans, lakes and rivers.
The officers have been patrolling and enforcing maritime laws to reduce criminal activity in Lake Victoria.
Cases of boat accidents in the lake were also common as vessel operators violated maritime laws, including failing to put on life jackets and overloading.
