Night fishing at Lake Naivasha banned to tame illegal gangs

Kenya Maritime Authority Regional Manager Alex Mwongo displays to fishermen from Lake Naivasha a sample of the new number plates that will be fitted on all vessels in the country’s main water bodies [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

The government has banned night fishing in Lake Naivasha.

Naivasha Sub-county security committee and the fisheries department said the ban was meant to contain the rising cases of illegal fishing by gangs that have invaded the water body in the last one year.

The move comes as officers from the Kenya Coast Guards Services (KCGS) arrived in the town to back patrols by officers from the fisheries department.

According to Naivasha Sub-county Commissioner Mutua Kisilu, investigations had revealed that illegal fishing was being done at night.

Speaking after a stakeholders’ meeting in South Lake, Mr Kisilu announced a major crackdown targeting illegal fishing groups popularly known as ‘ngoja-ngoja’. He said fishermen would only be allowed in the lake between 4am and 6pm.