The fisheries department in Naivasha has said that lifting the annual fishing ban in Lake Naivasha could kill the fisheries sector in the area.
Following the ban that was lifted by the Nakuru county government a month ago, the department has confirmed that the number of poachers has increased.
In a letter to the county government, Naivasha sub-county fisheries officer Matthew Ngila said that fish stock in the lake could be depleted by the end of this financial year.
The letter said that it has become difficult to prevent poaching because the department does not have enough money. Ngila attributed the crisis in the lake to the high number of poachers and lack of resources. He added that his office had received Sh328,000 only for the 2014/15 financial year.
Last month, agriculture executive Stanley Chepkwony lifted the annual fishing ban that runs between July and September. The ban is meant to restock the lake.
“The ban has been in force for the last 14 years and it has achieved its purpose. There is need to review it now,” he said while lifting the ban.
Lake Naivasha fisheries management committee chairman David Ndirangu confirmed receiving a copy of the letter. He said there was a crisis in the lake and the fisheries department does not have an operational boat or a vehicle to work with.
Ndirangu said Nakuru County could be blamed for having lifted the annual ban. He added that the main reason for the crisis was lack of capacity in the fisheries department.
He said an earlier attempt by some fishermen and fisheries officers to deal with poachers was met with resistance. Some of the fishermen and officers were injured.
Ndirangu said the issue can be solved if the office got more funding from the county government.