Fishermen in Siaya county have called on the Kenyan government to enact stringent penalties for manufacturers and users of illegal fishing gear, citing the depletion of fish stocks in Lake Victoria. The appeal came during the destruction of over Sh2.5 million worth of illicit fishing equipment in Luanda Kotieno, Rarieda sub-county, where officials confiscated 1.5-inch undersized nets that target fish fingerlings and breeding stocks. Rarieda Sub County Fisheries Officer Mark Owino stated that despite ongoing enforcement, illegal gear continues to flood the lake due to unregulated supply chains, with vendors repeatedly reselling confiscated nets. 'We have been burning these nets over and over, but vendors keep selling them,' Owino said, urging both national and county governments to enforce strict regulations at manufacturing and retail levels.
The fishermen, led by Kennedy Ochieng, emphasized that current measures disproportionately target fishers rather than addressing the root cause: illegal gear production. Ochieng demanded that authorities shut down factories and shops producing the 1.5-inch nets, arguing that 'it is high time the government targets the shops and factories producing these tiny nets.' The community also reiterated calls for reinstating seasonal lake closures between April and August to allow fish populations to recover, a practice suspended in recent years. Owino highlighted the ecological threat posed by the nets, which destroy breeding sites and exacerbate the decline of native fish species critical to local livelihoods and the broader Lake Victoria ecosystem.
The crisis underscores a broader conflict between conservation efforts and economic survival for fishing communities, who rely on the lake’s resources. Environmental experts warn that continued use of illegal gear risks irreversible damage to the lake’s biodiversity, which supports over two million people in the region. The fishermen’s appeal aligns with growing pressure on policymakers to strengthen enforcement and address supply chain loopholes. However, without coordinated action from both national and county authorities, the cycle of illegal fishing and ecological degradation is likely to persist, threatening food security and economic stability in the area.
Siaya’s fishing community remains determined to push for systemic change, framing the issue as a matter of environmental justice and sustainable development. Their demands reflect a broader call for accountability in natural resource management, as Lake Victoria faces increasing pressures from overfishing, pollution, and climate change. The government’s response to this appeal will be critical in determining the lake’s future and the livelihoods of those who depend on it.