New fishing tech to revive declining fortunes of industry

Farmers harvest fish from a cage in Nyando. Hundreds of fish farming entrepreneurs are embracing the cage fish farming technology especially in regions around Lake Victoria. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A recent report released by the fisheries department indicated that a total of 1,662 cages have been set up by individuals and companies in the Kenyan side of the waters.

  • The regional assistant director of fisheries said the report was based on weeklong assessment done in December aimed at ascertaining the number of cages in the Kenyan waters.

  • The records are good news to the ailing Lake Victoria fish industry which was at its lowest the last quarter of 2016.

Hundreds of businessmen around Lake Victoria have turned to fish caging technology in what is expected to dramatically revive the ailing industry.

Fish caging aquaculture is a fairly new, lucrative method in which a farmer builds rails and submerges them in the water (with only the top seen from the water surface) and stocks them with fingerlings which are fed to maturity.

The method was recommended by experts as a way of boosting the dwindling stocks in the waters.

Although the uptake was low at first, there is a gold rush by hundreds of farmers who now breed tilapia in the waters.

A recent report released by the fisheries department indicated that a total of 1,662 cages have been set up by individuals and companies in the Kenyan side of the waters.

The number has a potential to produce over 2,520 tonnes of fish in a cycle of eight months, amounting to Sh883million.

The regional assistant director of fisheries said the report was based on weeklong assessment done in December aimed at ascertaining the number of cages in the Kenyan waters.

“The caging industry is expanding fast. It’s a major solution that we bank on to boost the numbers of fish in the waters. The number of cages is expected to double in the next five years,” said Mr Wanyama.

Estimates showed that the entrepreneurs had spent about sh100million to set up and stock the cages.

Of the total number of cages in the lake, the majority at 1,343 are found in Siaya, Kisumu has 83, Homa Bay (193), Busia (40) while Migori has four.

“Projections indicate that the industry could grow up to Sh1.7 billion in the next five years,” said Mr Wanyama.

The records are good news to the ailing Lake Victoria fish industry which was at its lowest the last quarter of 2016.

The damning revelation that some fish firms in Kisumu were importing stocks from China for sale locally had evoked fury with some Western Kenya leaders even terming it economic sabotage given the town’s proximity to the commodity’s prime produce –Lake Victoria.