Migori: The fortunes of the multi-billion-shilling Lake Victoria fish industry have improved, following the government’s decision to streamline the licensing of fishermen. A sharp rise in the number of fishermen in the lake had been blamed for its dwindling fish stocks, amid concerns that some fishermen were employing illegal methods, such as undersized nets and chemicals, to increase their catch in the face of stiff competition.

According to Kenya News Agency, ecological experts warned that congestion by fishermen had led to the destruction of several breeding sites, thus hampering stock development. However, the situation changed within a period of time after the government introduced a method in which licensing was done through the various beach management units (BMUs) that were formed along the lake shores.

‘To date we have moved tenfold steps ahead in improving fish stocks in the lake, after regulating the number of fishermen through the formed BMUs that hold more information on their members on issues such as who could be using illegal fishing methods,’ said the Migori County Executive Committee Member (CECM) In Charge of Livestock Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Mr. Lucas Mosenda.

In a speech he made yesterday while wishing the fisherfolk a prosperous New Year, Mr. Mosenda said the strict fishing control was already yielding fruit, with the number of fishermen in the world’s second-largest freshwater lake dropping to around 44,200 by June 2025 from 57,137 in 2023/2024.

Fisheries Department statistics show fish harvested by Kenyan fishermen from the lake rose to about 115,000 Metric Tons (MT) by March 2025 up from 97,500 Metric Tons (MT) from 2022 through to December 2024. The report further indicates that about 10,000 Metric Tons of the catch was from cage culture farming that the government had encouraged the local people to practise in the lake as a step to save the natural lake fish from depletion.

Mr. Mosenda said that efforts were also being made to entice more farmers to embrace fish pond farming to help decongest Lake Victoria from the many fishing boat fleets scouring the lake waters for the precious delicacy daily. ‘We are encouraging more farmers to establish fish ponds on their small farms by providing fingerlings, feed supplements, and fertilisers. This initiative aims to promote fish farming and reduce pressure from fishermen on the lake,’ the CECM said.