Kenya Wildlife Service Intensifies Efforts to Combat Illegal Fishing in Lake Nakuru

Nakuru — The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced a stringent crackdown on illegal fishing activities in Lake Nakuru, aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflicts that have led to numerous fatalities. KWS Senior Assistant Director in Charge of the Central Rift Conservation Area, Mr. Joseph Dadacha, issued a stern warning against the growing threat of illegal fishing, which is adversely affecting both human and wildlife populations in the area.

According to Kenya News Agency, the rising waters of Lake Nakuru have prompted locals to turn areas like Mwariki and Baruti in Nakuru Town West Sub-County into fishing grounds. These illegal fishermen have been using unorthodox fishing methods and gear, operating predominantly at dawn or night. “We will now move and arrest illegal fishermen around the lake, have them prosecuted, and destroy their fishing gear,” Mr. Dadacha stated. He emphasized KWS’s commitment to eradicating human-wildlife conflict and other challenges leading to fatalities around the lake.

In a recent operation, KWS released over 150 boats and engines that had been impounded after their owners were caught engaging in illegal fishing in Lake Nakuru National Park. This release was facilitated by Governor Susan Kihika and Naivasha Member of Parliament, Ms. Jayne Kihara. Lake Nakuru, renowned for its national park, is a habitat for various wildlife, including gazelles, baboons, zebras, leopards, buffaloes, and endangered black and white rhinos.

Nakuru County Secretary Dr. Samuel Mwaura announced the formation of a multi-agency task force involving KWS, county enforcement personnel, public health officers, the county commissioner’s office, and police officers to enforce the fishing ban. Dr. Mwaura revealed that fish samples from the lake have been sent to the government chemist for analysis of heavy metals, following previous reports indicating their presence.

The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) had warned in its 2021 report about the high presence of toxic substances in fish from the lake. Further research by KWS scientists found high levels of organ chlorine pesticide (OCP) in fish samples, rendering Nile tilapia from the lake unsafe for human consumption.

Despite these findings and the health risks involved, local fishermen have continued to consume and sell fish from the lake, ignoring the toxic elements. The thriving tilapia and mud fish business persists, even with studies showing high levels of nitrates and other hazardous chemicals in fish tissue samples from Lake Nakuru.

KWS and Nakuru County Health Department officials have been monitoring fishing points to deter illegal activities, but much of the fishing continues outside the game reserve and private farms where the lake’s waters have spilled over. A recent study revealed that Lake Nakuru now hosts three newly introduced tilapia species, in addition to the original Tilapia Grahami introduced in 1953. This new fish species has attracted locals and led to the establishment of makeshift eateries along the lake’s shores.