Illegal fishing blamed for conflict in Lake Turkana

Traders weigh fish at Lake Turkana. Fishing in the lake has resumed after the local county government lifted a six-month ban. [File, Standard]

Stakeholders and county officials from Turkana and Marsabit have blamed illegal fishing for a prolonged conflict in Lake Turkana.

Fishermen, traders, as well as officials from the Kenya Fisheries Services, Department of Fisheries in Turkana and Marsabit counties, the Ministry of Interior, and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), met in Lodwar on July 25 to deliberate on issues facing the sector.

This came after suspected poachers killed two KWS rangers who were on patrol in Sibiloi National Game Reserve in Marsabit on June 13 and the alleged killing of a fisherman identified as Daniel Esekon by rangers on aerial surveillance.

Jennifer Nguli Lonyaman, a fishmonger, from Ileret village in Marsabit said although KWS and fishermen are affected by the conflict that has led to loss of lives and property, there was an urgent need to bring to an end all illegal activities on the lake.

"We need to solve the conflicts and work as a team to eliminate illegal fishing gear and fishing methods, especially in protected areas. As fishermen and traders, we are all grouped into Beach Management Units (BMUs) that can also have the capacity to cooperate with security agencies and tackle poaching, transportation of aliens, and smuggling of counterfeit products across the Kenya - Ethiopia border," Lonyaman said.

She called for the demarcation of fish breeding zones and protected areas and enlightened fishermen on the importance of adhering to regulations for sustainable fishing practices.

The two incidents disrupted fishing and transport activities due to tension, but with support from Friends of Lake Turkana and the International Alert organization, the relevant stakeholders established that despite ongoing illegal activities in the lake, there was lack of trust among them.

Friends of Lake Turkana Founder Ikal Angelei said due to the ongoing conflict in the protected areas, there is need for regular engagements among key stakeholders including KWS rangers and fishermen to build reliable working relationship and urgent demarcation of protected areas.

"We are creating forums that are led by fishermen to ensure there is peaceful coexistence with concerned authorities. It was agreed that the law should be followed and that suspects should be arrested and not killed," Ms Angelei said.

County Fisheries Chief Officer, Evans Lomodei said for sustainable exploitation of the lake, the use of unauthorised fishing gear like nets should be banned with enforcement led by BMU officials.

"Enforcement of necessary regulations requires a collaborative effort between fishermen and officials. We have agreed that there should be frequent patrols and confiscation of unauthorised fishing gear as well as sensitisation of fishermen on dangers of monofilament nets to the fishing ecosystem," Mr Lomodei said. 

Turkana and Marsabit counties were asked to support resolutions to demarcate fish breeding zones including Nariamet and Ferguson Gulf as well as protected areas like parks Sibiloi, Central and Southern Island National Parks within the lake for structured fishing activities.

Joseph Kasuti, an assistant director of fisheries at the Lake Turkana regional office called on the existing 34 BMUs from Turkana and 10 from Marsabit to ensure every fisherman has a license to fish in the lake, except in protected areas where fish reproduce.

"Strengthened BMUs should ensure that their members are not using illegal fishing gears or methods like undersized nets. Fishermen should fish tilapia using a gillnet of four inches and above, anything below that is undersize. For a Nile perch, they should use a gillnet of 127 millimeters and above," Mr Kasuti said.