The development plan formulated by the Fisheries Department of Kenya for the period 1965 to 1970 aims at achieving a three-fold increase in production from 20,000 to 60,000 tons of fish per annum (which would present an estimated increase in gross value from £2.8 million to £8 million). Of the increase of 40,000 tons, it is hoped to achieve 25,000 tons from freshwater fisheries, and 15,000 tons from sea fisheries, expansion.
Based largely on comparisons of productivity with similar water bodies in the region and on the experience of neighbouring countries in implementing fisheries development plans in recent years, the Fisheries Department established the following production targets for the year 1970:
TABLE II - Projected Production of Fish in Fishing Areas of Kenya - 1970
| Fishing Area | Production at Present Rate (1965) | Proposed increase 1965–19702 | Projected total production 1970 |
| tons | |||
| Lake Baringo | 600 | 900 | 1,500 |
| Lake Jipe | 150 | 100 | 250 |
| Lake Naivasha | 550 | 1,000 | 1,550 |
| Lake Rudolf | 850 | 12,000 | 12,850 |
| Lake Victoria | 12,000 | 8,000 | 20,000 |
| Tana/Athi Rivers | 500 | - | 500 |
| Fish ponds and dams | 120 | 1,000 | 1,120 |
| Other lakes/rivers | 700 | 2,000 | 2,700 |
| Coastal fisheries | 5,000 | 15,000 | 20,000 |
| 20,470 | 40,000 | 60,470 (rounded off to 60,000) | |
The attainment of the targets depends, among other things, on whether market outlets can be expanded in step with the increase in fishing effort, and on whether sufficient staff can be recruited without delay, to supervise development and stimulate the necessary increase in effort.
For the period beyond 1970, further expansion may be possible provided the Fisheries Department can be brought to full strength and equipped to deal with the many development and research problems connected with such development. Reliable forecasts of production potential are not possible since thorough biological surveys and fish population studies have not been carried out in most of the fishing areas. The minimum and maximum projections in the table below represent rough estimates of fishing potential based on experience in the exploitation of aimilar water bodies in other countries of East Africa.
TABLE III - Estimated Production Potential of Fishing Areas of Kenya
| Fishing Area | Estimated Additional Field Potential Beyond 1965–1970 Period | Projected Total Production to be Realized Some Time After 1970 | |||
| Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | ||
| tons | |||||
| Lake Baringo | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,500 | 3,500 | |
| Lake Jipe | 125 | 125 | 375 | 375 | |
| Lake Naivasha | 1,500 | 2,500 | 3,000 | 4,000 | |
| Lake Rudolf | 37,000 | 147,000 | 50,000 | 160,000 | |
| Lake Victoria | 8,000 | 20,000 | 28,000 | 40,000 | |
| Tana/Athi Rivers | 2,000 | 5,000 | 2,500 | 5,500 | |
| Dams | 3,000 | 10,000 plus | 3,500 | 10,500 plus | |
| Ponds | 1,000 | 1,000 plus | 1,500 | 1,500 plus | |
| Other lakes/rivers | 4,000 | 4,000 plus | 6,500 | 6,500 plus | |
| Soda lakes | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Coastal fisheries (Tuna/Sailfish) | 8,000 | ? | } | 28000 | 28000 plus |
| Coastal fisheries (inshore) | ? | ? | |||
| 65,625 | 191,625 | 125,875 | 259,875 | ||
