Nakuru county government has suspended the annual fishing ban at Lake Naivasha and instead introduced a restocking exercise to help improve fish production.
The ban which had been planned for between June and August 2019 had been proposed by the fisheries department as a way of addressing the dwindling fish stocks at the water resource.
But Governor Lee Kinyanjui said the lake was a critical resource to the economy of the county as it supports livelihoods of thousands of residents.
He said the county government was committed to revamping the fishing sector adding that an ultra-modern fish processing plant at Central landing beach was complete and ready to offer services to fishermen and fish traders.
The governor said the decision to suspend the fishing ban was aimed at allowing the fishing fraternity and the fisheries department restock the lake with more fingerlings to improve the fish catch from the lake.
Governor Kinyanjui who made the remarks during a tour to inspect on-going development projects in Naivasha Sub County noted that the county had set aside funds for the construction of a fish market in Kayole area of Naivasha along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
The market, he said, will ensure a hygienic business environment for both motorists plying the route and also traders.
Kinyanjui added that the county was working with the national government in the construction of a Sh300 million water front around the lake to help boost tourism activities around the lake.
Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association Chairman Mr. David Kilo said there was need for the county government to address rising cases of illegal fishing in the lake claiming that it was the major contribution of dwindling fish catches at the lake.
He added that illegal fishermen were destroying the lake ecosystem as they practiced indiscriminate fishing using undersize nets at the lake shores and destroying fish breeding sites.
By Esther Mwangi/Brian Kamau
