Tilapia in Lake Jipe now facing extinction, leaders warn

VOI: Scientists and leaders have warned that the tilapia fish species is declining in Lake Jipe, one of the only three lakes in the Coast region.

Governor John Mruttu and the County Director of Fisheries Cornel Omondi, said the number of tilapia (Oreochromis Jipe and Oreochromis Hunteri) was declining at an alarming rate and something must be done to reverse the worrying tend.

Addressing fish farmers on the shores of Lake Jipe yesterday, Mr Mruttu said the declining fish production was impacting negatively on the economy of riparian communities in the lake ecosystem that is shared between Kenya and Tanzania.

“The tilapia fish species at Lake Jipe that is shared between Kenya and Tanzania is facing extinction. There should be concerted efforts among the relevant stakeholders to save the species from destruction,” Mr Omondi observed.

The governor distributed over 19,000 fingerlings to fish farmers in Mkoncheni to improve fish production. The fish ponds were constructed by the county government for Sh1.2 million. The governor was accompanied by Fisheries Executive Ben Mganga.

ILLEGAL FISHING

Omondi blamed the depletion of fish in the lake on some unscrupulous farmers who use unauthorised nets to catch small fish.

He at the same time said poor quality fingerlings and fish food, lack of motor boats and lack of extension services are adversely affecting fish production in the lake.

“We are unable to monitor illegal fishing at the lake due to staff shortage and lack of surveillance motorboats. We do not have enough technical staff to enlighten farmers on post-harvest management, aqua-culture productivity and value chain management,” he explained.

The county official further attributed the decline in tilapia to over fishing and catchment degradation among other factors.

He also accused some unscrupulous farmers of obstructing water from River Lumi, which serves as the only main water in-let for Lake Jipe.

To ensure that fish farming takes its rightful place in economic development in the county, Mruttu disclosed that the county government has acquired a five-acre plot at Taveta Youth Polytechnic to establish a county hatchery and fish multiplication centre to serve as a distribution point for fish fingerlings.

The governor said the county is in the process of installing two fish pelletising machines in Wundanyi and Taveta sub-counties.