Ksh 1 Billion Lost Due To Massive Fish Deaths In Lake Victoria

Fish farmers in Kisumu and Homa Bay counties lost an estimated 1 billion shillings in the three months to November 2022 due to fish deaths as a result of pollution.

According to a report by a multi-agency team led by the State Department for the Blue Economy and Fisheries Principal Secretary Betsy Njagi, a total of 135 cage farmers on 10 beaches along the lake were affected. Kisumu suffered the hugest loss of 884.8 million shillings while Homa Bay incurred a loss of 43 million shillings.

The highest losses were experienced by Kentila Farms and Lake Aqua Ltd at 200.4 million shillings and 138 million shillings respectively both of which are in Ogal beach in Kisumu County.

The report sought to establish the causes of fish deaths in the lake. pollution of the lake by the local industries and improper cage installation were among the causes of fish kills in lake Victoria. The team noted that the 747 cages affected were installed in shallow zones in the gulf (less than 10 meters), limiting water circulation, and hindering confined fish from escaping.

“The increased organic matter is originating from the lake itself (such as water hyacinth and other water plants) and from land sources such as fertilizers from agricultural farms and river discharges,” noted the report.

The team noted that the installation of cages in the area has significantly expanded to over 5,500 cages from 1,663 in 2016, highlighting the important role of fish farming in creating jobs in the region and supplementing fish supplies in the market.

However, the majority of farmers lack statutory requirements to operate in the lake. Out of the 135 affected cage farmers, only 14 had National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) license, particularly in Ogal beach in Kisumu County.

The report noted that the lack of statutory requirements from regulatory bodies makes it difficult to determine the efficacy of management to address the industry threats.

The team proposed that both the national and county government departments responsible for fisheries should provide an economic stimulus package to affected farmers.

The committee wants the licensing bodies to include compensation options in the regulations by ensuring that cage farmers insure their business as part of the licensing requirement.

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