Kisumu — The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) has commenced the process of developing a fact sheet that will, among other things, assist in demarcating specific areas within Lake Victoria for setting up fish cages.
KMFRI Director General James Njiru says the decision to demarcate such areas for fish farming was reached following numerous calamities that have resulted in fish deaths in the lake.
Njiru says preliminary investigations point to a lack of enough oxygen and limited space for inhibition by the fish in the cages.
"The guidelines through the department of Blue Economy and Fisheries will help us minimize such deaths in future," he said.
Njiru noted that the fact sheet will help any farmer who is willing to venture into cage farming set up his or her cages within the stipulated recommendations.
"The sheets will be showing where you can place a cage, so that you are able to place a cage at the right place, to minimize the deaths caused by lack of oxygen," he added.
Speaking to the press in Kisumu just two days after fish farmers in Dunga Beach recorded dead fish in their cage, Njiru says the investment loss is colossal and should be avoided.
He says the cages have created job opportunities, and losing them will plunge many into a state of joblessness.
Njiru appealed to fish farmers to always consult widely with the relevant government agencies before establishing the cages to safeguard the industry.
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KMFRI Director in Charge of Freshwater Systems Research Christopher Aura says his department carried out scientific research in Dunga whose outcome pointed to pollution that led to a lack of oxygen for the fish.
However, the report also put the blame on fish farmers who failed to adhere to the rules and regulations of setting up a cage in the lake.
"The depth within the sampled points were all below the recommended standards for cage aquaculture which could be above 6.0 m for minimized fish kills due to low oxygen levels," the report said.
Aura noted that there was very little water space between the bottom of the net and the lake bed for optimum water circulation.
The report went further to say that there are increased algae concentrations at the cage sites that are undergoing decomposition and utilizing oxygen in the water, causing low levels of dissolved oxygen that suffocate the fish.
The report recommended continuous vigilance on lake use and possible pollution sources.
Michael Nyaguti, who runs MAGNAM Environmental Network, concurred and called for a multi-stakeholder impromptu visit to some of the suspicious point sources of pollutants within the Winam Gulf.
"This team of stakeholders for avoidance of suspicion should include the civil society and be supervised by the Kisumu County National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA)," said Nyaguti.
He noted that the point source of pollutant visit should be conducted with the urgency it deserves at this time that the algae bloom and coloration of lake water are prominently observable.
The total number of stocked cages was 60, with a stocking density of 5,000 fingerlings per cage; all died, and the fish farmers were warned against selling the dead fish.
