Coast Guard to end troubles in Lake Naivasha

 

The crisis of illegal fishing in Lake Naivasha will be tackled by the Kenya Maritime Authority and the Coast Guard.

The government agencies will set up bases around the lake in the coming week to end poaching, arrest illegal fishermen and confiscate illegal undersized nets that catch immature fish.

The catch has dropped dramatically and the flooding lake has been invaded by hundreds of jobless flower farm workers working as foot fishermen by the shores.

KMA acting director general John Omingo said on Wednesday the high number of illegal fishermen poses a major threat to the lake.

In the next two days, Omingo said, KMA and the Coast Guard will tour the lake, establish problems and weak points and decide on measures to solve them.

Speaking in Naivasha during a safety compliance workshop, Omingo said the agency wants to set up a permanent office in Nakuru to address problems facing the region's lakes.

“There is a big problem in Lake Naivasha and we are working with other stakeholders to make sure the law is fully followed,” he said.

He said most coxswains, who steer boats, are are not trained and 205 incidents have been recorded in Rift Valley lakes in 10 years.

“In those cases, we lost 281 people and rescued 525 but many cases have gone unreported," he said.

Captain Jathan Odero of the  Kenya Coast Guard Service said officers would be posted around the lake to begin patrols. He said they were keen to streamline operations around the lake.

“We are working with KWS, the county government and other arms of the government and we are sure illegal activities will be a thing of the past,” Odero said.

He said the Coast Guard already was working in Lakes Victoria, Turkana and Baringo. Lakes Naivasha and Nakuru are next.

Chairmanthe Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association David Kilo welcomed the KMA and Coast Guard, saying their arrival was long overdue.

“The challenges facing the lake include safety and security and we are confident the Coast Guard will fully address this," he said.