This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread, authorities in Nakuru County have expressed concern over the rise in fish poaching in Lake Naivasha. According to the county's livestock and fisheries chief officer, Enos Amuyunzu, the poaching activities are threatening the water body's fish stocks and hampering efforts to boost commercial fishing.
Amuyunzu attributed the increase in poaching to the restricted movements at night, which have allowed poachers to take advantage of the situation. The poachers are using illegal fishing gear that traps immature fish, their eggs, and fingerlings.
Dr. Immaculate Maina, the county executive committee member for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, emphasized the importance of adhering to the fisheries Act. She noted that the law prohibits the use of nets with a hole size of less than 127mm and fishing within 2km of the shores.
David Kilo, the chairman of the Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association, warned that the illegal fishing activities are threatening the incomes and source of food for over 10,000 families that rely on the water body for fish. He also revealed that most of the poachers are former employees of horticultural firms that have closed or scaled down operations due to dwindling export markets.
Environmentalists have raised concerns that the poaching activities are exacerbating the challenges faced by the water body, which is already struggling with pollution and the invasion of alien plant and animal species.
