Kenya fish earnings flat as Nile Perch numbers drop, survey shows

Fish earnings stagnated last year due to a drop in the Nile Perch species at Lake Victoria in what will also offer a chance for increase in the numbers of other native fishes.

Official data released last week shows that the earnings from fresh water fish dropped marginally from Sh20.94 billion in 2014 to Sh20.46 billion last year. The slight decline came after years of sustained growth in earnings.

At Sh20.46 billion, earnings from fish are nearly double the Sh10.8 billion Kenya earned from coffee last year, highlighting the importance of fishing to the Kenyan economy given its earnings have increased by a third over the past five years. 

The Nile Perch is a predatory fish which is blamed for having led to the extinction of hundreds of fish species in Lake Victoria since it was introduced during colonial times.

“Fish landed from fresh water sources dropped by 15 per cent from 159.3 thousand metric tonnes in 2014 to 135.4 thousand metric tonnes in 2015, mainly attributed to decline in fish catches from Lake Victoria and fish farming,” The Economic Survey 2016 says.

“The decline in landings from Lake Victoria is partly explained by dwindling stocks of the Nile Perch species in the lake.”

The Nile Perch is thought to have been introduced into the lake in the 1950’s but it remains unclear by whom.

It was introduced for purposes of commercial fishing owing to its relatively large size- it can grow up to 200kg- which offers a lot of bone-free meat.

As it matures, the Nile Perch preys on other fish in its habitat in what experts say led to a large decline in the numbers of the native tilapia, dagga and cichlids, a small, bony fish.

The native fish fetch a higher amount locally compared to the Nile Perch as they are considered tastier.

Reports have over the years indicated that Lake Victoria is over-fished with fishermen catching even the small Nile Perch in what informs their drop in numbers.

The Economic Survey shows that the annual catch from Lake Victoria dropped from 128,708 tonnes in 2014 to 109,902 tonnes last year.
This is the lowest catch since 2009 when it stood at 108,934 tonnes.

Lake Victoria accounts for the bulk of Kenya’s fresh water fish catch (81 per cent) and a drop in yield could see prices go up in the country.

Fish farmers also contributed to the drop with the Survey saying that some farmers failed to re-stock their ponds last year.

Besides Lake Victoria, other fish contributors are Lake Turkana, Naivasha, Jipe, Baringo and Tana River dams.