The Government will adopt a multi-agency approach to deal with worsening wrong fishing methods at Lake Victoria and cross border illegal trade.
Migori County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich while briefing the press outside his office ground, tasked the entire security team in the county to crack down the use of banned fishing nets in Lake Victoria.
He revealed that the Border Patrol Unit, Immigration Officers, Kenya Coast Guards and the National Police Service will operate as a team at the border. Cherutich said the Fisheries Department in Migori County will provide “High level police operations at the lake region to ensure that illegal fishing is contained,” he said.
Cherutich was saddened that rogue fishermen in markets of Sori, Muhuru and other lakeshore areas within Migori had employed illegal fishing methods threatening the fish population in the Lake.
“All the illegal nets will be confiscated by the Kenya Coast Guards and the security personnel,” Cherotich warned.
The CC also warned those involved in contraband goods at cross borders that they will be arrested and prosecuted in the courts of law.
Cherutich said that intensive patrol of the borders within the neighbouring countries by the immigration officers will secure Kenyans from consuming risky counterfeit imports.
“This will curb the activities of contraband goods being smuggled into the country such as ethanol and electrical goods through those borders that are within the lake region,” he said.
He spoke after meeting County Security Team to discuss how they can enhance Lake Victoria Security and the general border security. This comes after Nyatike Member of Parliament, Tom Odege during a funeral function over the weekend warned that the introduction of the wrong fishing methods at the lake will clear the fish population.
He called on the County Government of Migori fish officers to discourage the use of Amuok, a fishing method that clears fish population, including the young ones from the lake.
by Geoffrey Satia/Cynthia Gathoni
