Licensed fishers have until end of month to renew permits
Fishing in Lake Naivasha.
Licensed fishermen in Naivasha have until the end of the month to renew their permits.
Sub-county fisheries officer Nicholas Kagundu warned that those who fail to comply will be locked out of the lucrative sector.
He outlined the new requirements that included a mandatory certificate of good conduct for boat owners and their crew.
"We mean business this time around. It is a requirement that will lock out fishermen with criminal tendencies," said Mr Kagundu.
The fisheries head recently led his officers in inspecting more than 100 boats to ensure that they were in good condition and the crew were compliant.
"We also ensured that those involved in fishing activities are operating within their designated beaches and possess the right fishing gear," said Mr Kagundu.
Illegal fishing gear has been a headache for those tasked with protecting the lake, with racketeers raking in millions of shillings.
"Officials from the department will be conducting random checks and any boat owner found flouting the laid-down rules will have their licences cancelled," added Mr Kagundu
The sale of banned nets, used mostly by illegal fishermen, is a robust trade that has derailed efforts to streamline the industry.
The black market involves the shipping of dangerous monofilament nets from a neighbouring county.
The banned gear finds its way into the freshwater lake, making a mockery of efforts by the Nakuru County government to bring sanity to the highly valued sector.
The outlawed nets are mostly preferred by poachers due to the high number of fish caught using them.
"This year, during the clean-up exercise, the team managed to retrieve more than 40 tonnes of abandoned nets," said the official.
He described the nets as a danger to the fish population, with five per cent of the different species being caught in “ghost mesh”.
“The huge tonnage is a danger to the aquatic life and fishing industry given the number of fish caught in the abandoned nets,” he said.
Mr Kagundu lamented that the nets were also inhibiting the navigation of the more than 170 licensed operators in the lake.
He maintained optimism about the status of the lake, saying the number of tilapia, which is favoured by fishers, was on the increase.
He hailed the presence of the Kenya Coast Guard Service elite personnel, saying they have restored sanity in the fishing industry.
