Hundreds of dead fish found floating on L. Naivasha

Hundreds of fish are reported to have died in Lake Naivasha in unclear circumstances raising anxiety and fear among fishermen and stakeholders.

The most affected are immature fish, which were found floating near the shores of the lake along Kamere beach with fears that they could have been poisoned.

Following the move, irate fishermen raided Valley Breeze Hotel where a group of Chinese fishermen who have been fishing in the lake over the past one year have been camping and confiscated their fishing equipment and boats, suspecting them of being involved in the unexplained phenomenon.

According to the chairman of the Lake Naivasha Boat Owners Association, Daudi Kilo, fishermen working at the beach spotted the dead fish and informed their colleagues.

He said that the blame lies squarely with the county government, which licensed the Chinese to fishermen to use their equipment, noting that this has seen a sharp drop in their catch.

“This marks the darkest moment for Lake Naivasha as hundreds of fish have died and [more] could die,” he said.

Kilo told Citizen Digital that they had reported the issue to the necessary government agents, adding that they were waiting for action.

“In all the years it’s the fishermen who have funded fish restocking and we are asking how the Chinese are allowed to fish using undersized and illegal nets,” said an irate Kilo.

Area MCA Peter Pallang’a condemned the move adding that he would raise the issue with the county assembly with a view of having the investors’ licenses cancelled.

Pallang’a said the lake supported hundreds of people directly and indirectly, adding that the introduction of the Chinese investors spelled doom for the water body.

“This lake employs hundreds of our people and we shall not stand back and watch as a group of investors kill the ecosystem for their own selfish interest,” he the Olkaria MCA.