This lake lies 70 miles north of Nakuru and is served by road and airstrip. The fishermen have two outlets for their fish:
hot-smoked tilapia and Barbus to Luo fish traders who sell to Molo, Nakuru, and various small local markets in the Rift Valley;
fresh tilapia to Norwood Fisheries Ltd.'s processing factory at Kampi ya Samaki, which is a modern plant producing quick-frozen tilapia fillets for the Nairobi and other markets, and whole frozen tilapia on ice for Nakuru.
It is estimated that the potential production of the Lake lies between 2,500 and 3,000 tons (based on a total area of 50 sq. miles; due to flooding, the area at mid-1964 was larger than this).
Lake Baringo is a fertile lake on which gill-net fishing started in 1946, prior to which fishing had been conducted with rod and line only. In 1946, a cropping rate of one ton of tilapia and Barbus a day was fixed by the Fisheries Department, no limitation being placed on catches of Clarias and Labeo. This rate was confirmed in 1949 after a three-day survey. In 1951, the rate was reduced to ⅓ ton per day, as the Lake was supposedly being overfished. In practice, the quota has been ignored and the present catch is estimated at 600 tons per annum, although the reliability of this estimate can be questioned, as there is no fisheries staff on the Lake and records are available only from the processing factory; the latter utilizes only a part of the fish taken in the Lake. The estimates of production have been made, therefore, to include fish marketed by dried fish merchants, although the data on the operations are very incomplete too. The Fisheries Department intends to open up a station on the Lake in 1965/66 and attempts will then be made to obtain better catch statistics.
As better catch data become available, an attempt should be made to adjust the catch rate to rates fixed for similar lakes in Uganda. One practical means of finding out what the sustainable yield from this type of lake can be is to steadily increase effort until the catch ceiling is reached. The authorities should then be prepared to hold the effort at this level and carefully check the statistics. If any evidence of over-fishing is discovered, effort should be gradually reduced until the approximate level for sustaining yield is found. Tilapia nilotica, which form the main basis of this fishery, are fast-growing and, even if fished beyond the optimum point, will soon recover, as is well known from the examples of Lakes Kijanebolola and Rukwa in East Africa which normally have thriving tilapia fisheries but which occasionally dry out. The small stocks of tilapia which remain after the droughts recover rapidly enough to give commercially fishable stocks within about two years after the lakes refill on the onset of the rains.
The Fisheries Department has hitherto assumed that the Lake is being over-cropped. In the opinion of the expert, this is very unlikely. At present, there are only 33 fishermen fishing the Lake. They each operate 5 × 4" gill-nets, mounted down to 60 yards, which are set from small ambatch rafts 7 ft. long, and which they propel using small hand paddles, little larger than table tennis bats. The rafts are unstable, easily become water-logged, and their effective fishing range is very limited, perhaps no more than 1 to 2 miles from home base, mainly inshore. Their catch averages 20 to 25 tilapia per net per night.
The Fisheries Department gave favourable consideration to suggestions put forward during the expert's survey that efforts be made to replace the present ambatch rafts with improved sesse-type canoes with outboard engines. Such canoes could cover the entire Lake, carry more nets, and deliver their fish quicker to the processing factory.
The expert also thought that the following measures to increase production from the Lake be considered if experimental work provides sufficient evidence to support development along these lines:
stocking of Engraulicypris in the Lake with fry from either Lake Jipe or Lake Victoria (there are no pelagic fish in the Lake at present; Engraulicypris is a fish highly valued by consumers and can be readily caught with mosquito nets used as seines or in lift net operations with hurricane lamps);
changing the design of the fry ponds, the construction of which has already been considered and for which funds exist, to make them the nucleus of a commercial fish farm if a suitable site for the latter can be found (the site of the irrigation scheme at the south of the Lake may be suitable; the crop from such a farm raising hybrid tilapia could well be used to even out seasonal shortages of fish and thereby would be of particular value to the processing factory to meet contract commitments); experiments should also be carried out with other fish which may be suitable for stocking in the Lake, e.g. Barbus which are already present in the Lake, but not in great quantity, and which are in considerable demand by the Luo fishmongers (the lake water is rich in zooplankton and carp would do well; the fish are also readily acceptable on the African markets);
investigating the possibility of farming crocodiles in lakeside pens (young crocodiles are readily available but, at present, are often caught for their skins before they are of a suitable size or before they have bred; offal is available from the fish filleting factory for feeding them; Uganda has recently started experiments on the farming of crocodiles and experience data from these operations should be available);
the Fisheries Department's proposal to stock Lake Rudolf Tilapia nilotica in the Lake is endorsed by the expert;
the Fisheries Department's proposal to post staff to this Lake also is endorsed;
if a Special Fund scheme is set up on Lake Rudolf, it is recommended that its staff spend some time, at least, on a short survey of Lake Baringo.
Marketing does not present any problems on this Lake. A scheme was submitted during the course of the survey for a re-organization of the capital structure of Norwood Fisheries Ltd., to permit participation by the fishermen in the processing side of the industry. Proposals had been made previously for an outright purchase of the factory by the Government, with funds partially to be provided by charitable organizations, for transferring ownership to the Lake Fishermen's Co-operative, and for its operation by a Managing Agent. The expert, on having surveyed the relatively backward fishery and met the, for the most part, illiterate fishermen, pointed out the dangers inherent in this scheme. If the Fishermen's Co-operative ever decided to dismiss the Managing Agent, with the idea of saving money, the industry would quickly collapse, since there was no one trained to, or capable of, taking over the management of the plant. Lake Baringo fillets are in competition in the East African markets with fillets produced by the Uganda Fish Marketing Corporation (which is a large organization supported by good technical advice at all levels), and with fillets produced by other very experienced companies.
The expert suggested a scheme which involved the purchase, and subsequent liquidation, of the present company by the Government, the formation of a new company to be called Baringo Fisheries Ltd., and the issue of equity capital, one third of which would be taken up by the charitable organization, and held in trust by it for the Baringo Fishermen's Co-operative, 16 ⅓ percent by the present proprietor of Norwood Fisheries who would continue to manage the new company, and 51 percent by the Government, through its Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation. The intention was that over a long period (the expert suggested thirty years), the charitable organization's holding, and then that of the present proprietor, would be taken over by the Co-operative. In due course, when the Co-operative was considered capable of running the plant, the Government's share-holding would be similarly taken over by the fishermen.
The above proposals were given favourable consideration by the Government and the details of the reorganization of the Company were being discussed with the interested parties at the time the expert left the country.
If the negotiations were to lead to an early settlement, the plans for the further exploitation of the fishery and the connected developments of the tourist potential, game hunting industry, etc., which were also being discussed, could also be rapidly implemented.
Lake Naivasha is 54 miles from Nairobi by tarmac road, is rail-served and has an airstrip. The fishermen have two outlets for their fish: they sell fresh fish on the local and Nairobi markets, and also supply the raw material requirements of the processing factory of Naivasha Fisheries Ltd., which produces tilapia fillets for the Nairobi and East African markets.
It is estimated that this Lake might permit production of between 3,000 and 4,000 tons per annum (based on an area of 80 sq. miles of open water, the approximate size at June 1965 following floods in 1961 when the water level rose by an estimated 30 feet).
The Lake is a very fertile water body, as indicated by the presence of some 2,000 pelicans, in addition to a large number of other fish-eating birds. This notwithstanding, when the fishery was first opened to commercial fishing in 1961, a catch limit of 1,200 tilapia a day, or approximately half a ton a day, was imposed. This limit was maintained until the beginning of 1965 but has recently been raised to 1,800 tilapia (or 1,800 lbs.) per day. Fishermen and poachers however, at present appear to be taking approximately 2 tons of fish per day from only a small fraction of the Lake. This compares with an estimated consumption of fish by the pelicans of approximately 7 tons per day, based on 7 lbs. per pelican per day. The Lake appears to be comparable with some of the more fertile Uganda lakes. A start should, therefore, be made to increase production to the lower, and eventually the upper, target given above, markets permitting. Again, as already recommended in connection with the other lake fisheries, a careful check should be kept on catch statistics so that a timely outback of the fishing effort can be made whenever this appears necessary.
At present, fisheries services are virtually non-existent but the Fisheries Department is planning, in the period 1965/66, to station qualified staff at the Lake as soon as such can be recruited. This would be most useful, since, in addition to the commercial fisheries, there is a valuable sport fishery for black bass and tilapia which sustains two hotels in the area, several boat-hire concerns, fishing-tackle sellers, etc. A £20,000 marina is now planned by commercial interests, for boating and sport fishing purposes.
It is recommended that, as soon as staff is available, a program of fish stocking be carried out in the Lake to improve the species composition and to promote the increase in production. At present, the Lake contains only Tilapia nigra, T. leucosticta, T. zillii, large-mouth black bass, all of which have been stocked, and the small Haplocheilychthys antinorii, which is the only fish which occurs naturally, but which is not abundant and, in any case, of no commercial value.
On visits to the Lake, the expert suggested that consideration be given to introducing Tilapia nilotica from Lake Albert or George and from Lake Rudolf. Stocking of this species was carried out during the expert's assignment, with fish provided by the Uganda Fisheries Department. If the results of this experiment do not prove entirely satisfactory, stocking of the following species might be tried:
T. esculenta and T. variabilis from Lake Victoria; (The present Lake Naivasha tilapia are not popular in African markets and bring a lower price when sold fresh than tilapia from other lakes, since the Africans do not like their black colouration; normally, this can be disguised by filleting but difficulties arise when catches are greater than the quantities the filleting operation can absorb);
Lebistes (there is a mosquito problem on the Lake and the stocking of these fish would be welcomed by tourist camps, hotels and residents in the Lake area);
Clarias mossambicus and Clarias carsoni (nsonzi) in the papyrus swamps (to start production there);
Engraulicypris from Lake Victoria or Lake Jipe (to utilize the open waters and to provide food for black bass);
Ctonopharyngodon idellus (Chinese grass-carp), when these become available5 (to eliminate ceratophyllum weed which blankets large areas and makes gill-netting and sport fishing difficult);
Salmo gairdnerii (rainbow trout), principally for sport fishing (if surplus stock is available from the Kenya trout hatcheries, and also provided the fish is able to spawn in the tributaries and the water temperature in the Lake is not too high);
Astatoreochromis alluaudi from Nairobi dam (as a possible bilharzia control measure).
If the tilapia stock were to fall off, a reduction in the present stock of 2,000 pelicans should be considered by the Fisheries Department in conjunction with the Game Department.
The present limit on catches is considered unrealistic and it is recommended that the fishermen now fishing the Lake be allowed to take as much as they can catch. Accurate catch statistics, however, must be collected and the number of canoes limited initially to twenty, with the number of licences similarly fixed at twenty (i.e. one licence should be issued for each canoe).
The present fee for a fishing licence is fixed at shs. 480/- per annum. This is a high fee in relation to those collected on other fisheries in East Africa and puts the fishermen at a disadvantage. It is recommended that the fee be brought into line with those established elsewhere and fixed at shs. 100/-.
An attempt should be made to introduce outboard engines on a loan (or other scheme) basis so that the fishermen can fish the entire Lake. At present, the fishing effort is confined to the area immediately off Naivasha Township and the open water area is not exploited at all.
The present riparian owners are allowed to fish off their own plots with one gill-net each, but are not allowed to sell their fish. It is recommended that they be granted permission to sell their fish on payment of a shs. 100/-licence fee. The present restriction on the use of one gill-net should remain. For those who do not wish to sell their fish, the existing arrangement should remain, i.e. they should be allowed to use one net free, provided that the fish they take is for their own consumption only.
In the past, much of the effort of the small fisheries staff on the Lake has been devoted to the prevention of illegal fish selling by African children who fish with rod and line or small wire basket traps. As rod and line fishing helps to thin out the stocks of Tilapia leucosticta and T. zillii, which otherwise rarely grow to a size to be taken in commercial nets, it is recommended that the children be allowed to sell their fish. To assuage the commercial fishermen, who are paying a licence fee, it is recommended that a licence fee of a shilling a day be imposed for all rod and line fishing. Fishing with basket traps should be banned.
Sport fishing is now free and no selling of fish caught by sport fishermen is permitted. Again, it is recommended that a shilling a rod per day licence fee be imposed. In return, the anglers should be allowed to dispose of their catches as they wish.
The fish catch falls off during June and July, as is the case also on Lake Victoria, and the one processing factory on the Lake finds it difficult at that time to meet its commitments. This factory has ample land available, including a lagoon area of 1,500 acres which was formerly irrigated land but is now under 6 feet of water. The area is bunded and it is recommended that, when the Kenya Fisheries Department manages to recruit a qualified Fisheries Biologist to take charge of fish farming, he examine this area to determine whether fish culture operations are possible. In this manner, the factory would be in a position to make up for any gaps in daily fish requirements, when the commercial fishermen's catches are insufficient. The factory is also interested in the possibility of farming fresh water prawns and it is suggested that consideration be given to introducing Louisiana crayfish (available from the Uganda Fisheries Department) or Athi River prawns.
If, and when, a Special Fund Scheme is set up at Lake Rudolf, it is recommended that its staff carry out a short survey at Lake Naivasha to review progress.
5 See the relevant discussion in the Fish Farming Section of this report.
The industry is generally healthy. The fishermen receive good prices for their fish - 35 cts. per fish for tilapia or black bass, sold at the lakeshore to Naivasha Fisheries Ltd. Seasonally, during the long rains in April and May, the fishermen's earnings go up to £14 per canoe/day of fishing. On the other hand, at this time, the factory also usually has more fish than it can process and market and has either to store the surplus or reduce its purchases. In the latter event, the fishermen indicate they cannot find other markets for this fish. The expert suggested that two possible measures be considered to overcome such difficulties, viz:
that the fishermen smoke their fish or deep-fry it in sim-sim oil for sale to African markets;
that the processing factory look for an export market (particularly in Italy, since the management has direct contacts there).
Later on in his assignment, the expert found that, in the period of the long rains, there were also heavy landings of fish in the Lake Victoria fisheries and that prices tended to fall at this season. With the onset of the hot season, however, there was a shortage of fish within two months. Some fishermen on Lake Victoria take the opportunity of buying surpluses at cheap prices from other fishermen during the rains, or smoking it during the dry spells, and keeping it for sale until June and July when fish become relatively scarce.
From this, it appears that there are three additional measures open for consideration on Lake Naivasha, viz:
the fishermen could hot-smoke or sun-dry during dry spells their own surpluses in April and May for sale in June or July;
if the above appears not feasible in economic terms because of the extra labour involved, they could accept, for all fish above a certain daily quota, a lower price from Naivasha Fisheries Ltd. at this season;
Lake Naivasha Fisheries could set up or rent extra cold storage, financed by the savings from the lower purchase prices in April and May to store the surplus fillets for sale in June, July and August. The additional cold storage now under construction might solve their difficulties. As an alternative, they could make a seasonal cut in the price of fillets which would encourage wholesalers and retailers to stock up at this time and fully utilize their own cold storage.
The problems of seasonal surpluses or shortages are common to all fisheries and are not insuperable.
A suggestion has been made that a second freezing factory, to be run by a fishermen's co-operative or private enterprise, be established on Lake Naivasha. The expert believes that the potential fish supply is not big enough to allow the economic operation of more than one freezing factory on the Lake. The existing plant is operating efficiently and should be permitted to continue to do so. The fishermen have alternative outlets and, in any case, viewed on a year-round basis are, at present, receiving competitive prices for their fish.
During discussions with Naivasha Fisheries Ltd., the expert and the Senior Fisheries Officer suggested various improvements in filleting and packaging operations. These were acted upon quickly and a complete new filleting line with terrazo benches, good water supply, washing facilities for the filleting staff, etc., adjacent to the factory, was being constructed at the time the expert left the country. Package design was altered and a second freezer-cum-cold store was under construction.
It is estimated that between 28,000 and 40,000 tons per annum can be produced from the 1,427 sq. mile area of the Kenya section of the Lake.
For the past forty years, much has been written and spoken about the over-fishing of the Kavirondo Gulf in Kenya. However, all the references are to Tilapia esculenta which is only one of over a total of 100 species of fish and one of five or six species of tilapia found in the Lake. Of the tilapia species, it is the one which is most popular with consumers in Kenya, especially in Nairobi, and is undoubtedly heavily cropped. In spite of the cry of overfishing, however, the total annual catch of this fish is probably greater by weight now than at any time since commercial fishing started. The picture has been confused by the continued entry of additional boats into the fishery which has resulted in a drop in catch per unit of effort. If the latter is the only statistic used to measure performance, then it does appear as if there were some overfishing. The problem, however, is more of an economic than of a biological nature. As long as there is a great demand in the African markets, and this is supported by market surveys, for Haplochromis, Mormyrus, Engraulicypris, Barbus and Protopterus (the last three species fetching prices just as high as T. esculenta), which are as yet only relatively lightly fished, the economic problem is not very serious. Thirty or forty miles from the Lake, it was noted, the consumers were unable to distinguish one species of tilapia from another, especially when the fish were sold in dried form. T. zillii, T. leucosticta and T. nilotica are still only lightly exploited and fishing for these could be considerably stepped up. Gill-net canoes, in general, do not at present fish inshore where these species are most commonly found.
Earnings of the more energetic fishermen can be high; one man interviewed claimed a net profit of £1,800 per year from the operation of his three canoes. Canoe owners are thought to belong to the wealthiest section of the community and are able to invest their profits from fishing in various business and cattle operations. Long-line fishermen working from small dug-out canoes can make up to £2 per day.
The Kavirondo Gulf area is the most fertile part of Lake Victoria and should be capable of producing, in the first instance, at least as big a catch as Lake Kyoga (a relatively infertile water currently sustaining an annual catch of 20 tons per square mile). Based on current estimates of catches, Kenya's section of Lake Victoria is now producing only slightly over 8 tons per square mile. A first target of 20 tons of all species per square mile should be aimed at, which should be increased by stages to 30 tons per square mile.
A sustained fisheries survey of the Kenya waters of Lake Victoria has never been conducted. It is suggested that as a prerequisite for increasing the present cropping rate to the higher levels mentioned above, a survey extending over a period of one to two years be carried out in the near future.
In connection with this survey, one Fisheries Biologist and one Master Fisherman would be required to:
assess the stocks of the commercially exploitable species, and
recommend the most efficient methods of cropping them.
In regard to (b) above, an Israeli fisheries expert, on a recent visit to Lake Victoria, commented that in his view small purse seines with or without lights operated from rowboats or boats provided with outboard engines could be used to exploit the Haplochromis. Uganda experience also indicates that light and lift net fishing can be used for catching Engraulicypris in the open waters. At present, the main catches in the case of both fish are made with beach seines.
A suitable launch with crew and supporting staff is available at Kisumu and laboratory facilities exist at Jinja, where the East African Freshwater Fisheries Research Organization has its headquarters. It is envisaged that a fisheries survey of the Kavirondo area would be complementary to the longer term survey of the fishery resources of Lake Victoria being carried out by the Jinja laboratory, supplemented by the work of the Special Fund Project for the Lake. The survey team working on the Kenya section of Lake Victoria could obtain specialist assistance as required from Jinja. The information gathered by the team would, in turn, be of value to the Jinja institution. Assistance will be particularly required in the field of statistics, since the currently used estimate of a total production of 12,000 tons in the Kenya area is based on very sketchy data.
As soon as possible, an attempt should be made to assess total catch from the Kenya section of Lake Victoria. Since the start of statistical data collection in 1933, emphasis was always on catch per unit of effort data, especially for Tilapia esculenta. After a certain point, catch per unit of effort declines as the number of fishing units operating on the Lake increases. Considered by itself, the information cannot give a reliable clue on the overall progress of the fishery. An estimate of total catch from the Lake as a whole, and from individual landings, is required to enable the Fisheries Department to assess whether the industry is valuable enough to plan public investment in jetties, feeder roads to landings, markets, better processing facilities, etc., as well as to assess the contribution of the fishery to the overall fish supply situation in Kenya.
The Fisheries Department appreciates the need for better data and is at present trying to institute improvements. As a first step, it is licensing the canoes. This is necessary but a long time will be required before the job is completed. To rapidly assess the number of craft operating on this and other water bodies, the Department could carry out aerial surveys with a slow-flying light aircraft. This method has been used successfully in neighbouring countries.
After licences have been issued to all canoes at present operating in the Kenya area of the Lake, no new licences should be issued for some time. This will fix the effort at the present ceiling and any benefits accruing through the introduction of better fishing methods will go to the fishermen presently engaged in the fishery ensuring them a more secure and better income and enabling them to invest in better gear, outboard engines, etc., and thus to keep the price of their fish down and competitive with that taken in other waters. It is perhaps significant that at present the fishermen tend to invest their profits in fields other than fisheries, probably because of a feeling of insecurity regarding their future place in the fishery.
The markets for Lake Victoria fish are very strong, with 3½ million fish eaters living within 50 miles of the Lake. The whole area is served by a good network of roads, with most of the main links already, or in the process of, being covered by tarmac. Kisumu, the main town, is served by scheduled aircraft, steamer services and rail, and is 214 miles from Nairobi. The only shortcoming in the communications system is the unsatisfactory condition of small link roads from the main lines of communications to the main fish landings. These, in many cases, are only tracks, impassable for anything but bicycles or 4-wheel drive vehicles, even within the immediate vicinity of Kisumu, the centre of the industry. The poor communications are adding to the costs of transport or are compelling the fishermen to dry their fish instead of distributing it fresh. Since dry fish generally brings a poorer unit price than fresh fish, their income is lower than what it might otherwise be. The fishermen in the north sell the bulk of their fish fresh. It is taken away by middlemen who occupy in East African fisheries the place occupied in West African fisheries by the “fish mammies”. In the south, most fish is sold fish, except in the rainy season when landings exceed the local absorption capacity, and when prices which are not acceptable to the fishermen are offered. At these times, the fishermen sun-dry the catch during dry spells; smaller quantities are hot-smoked and sold in Kisumu for onward despatch to the markets of N. Nyanza, Nairobi, Eldoret, Nakuru, Mombasa, etc.
Lake shore prices of fish on 20 July 1965 at Homa Bay were as follows:
| Tilapia esculenta (½ lb. each) | - | 3 for shs. 1/- with no distinction between fresh and dried fish (from the Islands) at the Lake shore. (66 cts. per lb.) [6 for shs. 1/- in flush season April/May (33 cts. per lb.)] |
| Protopterus | - | 50 cts. per lb. for fresh fish |
| Engraulicypris | - | 1/- per lb. for fresh fish |
| Bagrus | - | 33 cts. per lb. for fresh fish |
| Clarias | - | 50 cts. per lb. for fresh fish |
| Mormyrus | - | 30 cts. per lb. for fresh fish |
| Haplochromis | - | 40 cts. per lb. for fresh fish |
| Barbus | - | shs. 2/- per lb. for fresh fish |
Similar prices were observed at Port Victoria in the north on 21 July 1965.
Inland retail prices on 21 July were as follows:
| Tilapia esc. | - | 40 cts. each (80 cts. per lb. fresh equivalent) - dried at Yala |
| 50 cts. each (shs. 1/- per lb. fresh equivalent) - dried at Bungoma and Eldoret | ||
| 60 cts. each (shs. 1/20 per lb. fresh equivalent) - dried at Yala | ||
| 70 cts. each (shs. 1/40 per lb. fresh equivalent) - dried at Burmah Market, Nairobi | ||
| Haplochromis | - | 50 cts. per lb. fresh at Yala |
On 12 May, the following retail prices were observed in Kisumu Municipal Market:
| T. esculenta | - | Fresh - shs. 1/- per lb. Dried (from Tanzania) - 66 cts. per lb. (fresh equivalent) |
| Protopterus | - | Fresh - shs. 1/25 per lb. |
| Bagrus | - | Fresh - 50 cts. per lb. |
| Clarias | - | Fresh - 50 cts. per lb. |
| Engraulicypris | - | Dried - shs. 2/- per lb. (fresh equivalent) |
| Other prices noted for Lake Victoria fish were: | ||
| Nairobi | - | shs. 1/70 per lb. retail for large Tilapia esculenta (maximum price charged under control order (Nairobi), 1964) |
| Thika | - | shs. 1/40 per lb. (fresh equivalent) for dried T. esculenta (70 cts. each) |
The fishermen have an additional all-year outlet, viz. the two fish freezing factories in Kisumu: Tilapia Fisheries Ltd. and International Fish Distributors Ltd., both of which produce quick-frozen tilapia fillets and ship whole tilapia on ice to Nairobi. The latter company also markets Nile perch fillets. Tilapia Fisheries Ltd. is long established on Lake Victoria and was started at a time when there was a considerable surplus of fish above local requirements. Now that local markets are absorbing nearly all supplies of fish, they must go farther and farther afield to cover their requirements and operate both launches and trucks travelling daily to the various landing points. In April and May, the ‘flush’ season for tilapia, they can obtain their requirements easily but in June and July they have to search hard for supplies and also have to pay high prices (up to 60 cts. per lb. for tilapia).
International Fish Distributors buy locally when the fish is available but for the last year or two have obtained the bulk of their requirements from Lake Edward, 500 miles away in Uganda, where tilapia are approximately 30 cts. per lb. Also, being larger in size than fish from Lake Victoria, they give a larger fillet which is more acceptable to the hotel trade. The Company uses 7-ton refrigerated trucks and the sale of tilapia skeletons after filleting largely covers the transport costs. As of late, they have started a similar operation buying Nile perch from Bugondo on Lake Kyoga, 220 miles away. Nile perch heads from this factory sell for shs. 1/- each and skeletons for shs. 1/50 each. Fillet scraps from both factories cost wholesale shs. 1/- per pound and are retailed a few miles away for shs. 2/- per pound. Both factories freeze chickens to utilize spare plant capacity.
Also established in Kisumu are two African dried fish companies which are substantial importers of fish from Tanzania, transporting the fish by dhow. In July, they were unable to obtain supplies from Lake Victoria sources.
A move has recently been made to form a federation of fishermen's cooperatives in S. Nyanza. The expert met the officials of this organization which represents 10 societies with 1,600 members. None of the officials could explain what the federation was hoping to achieve. Close questioning elicited that the organization had aspirations of obtaining a Government loan to help build a freezing factory for its members, but the officials interviewed had no idea where the federation would sell its fish. They hoped that some Government agency, e.g. the Co-operative Department, would find them a market. Local co-operative officials, however, admitted knowing little or nothing at all about the fish trade. Investigation showed that the fishermen members of the society had no difficulty in disposing of their catches themselves for nine months of the year at what they thought to be a good price. They complained, however, that for three months of the year fish was in plentiful supply and that prices were poor (33 cts. per lb. compared with the normal 60 cts. for Tilapia esc.) and additional markets were required at such times. The expert explained that a freezing factory could not pay for itself on the basis of a three-months' operation. At present, the co-operative federation is collecting a cess of 10 per cent on all fish sold by its members, its cash balance is accumulating, and it is looking for suitable development possibilities. The co-operative federation, it was noted, had some non-fishermen among its membership.
In the particular circumstances of South Nyanza and Lake Victoria, it is difficult to see what the co-operative federation can do to lead to a more efficient functioning of the industry than at present.
In the Kenya section of Lake Victoria, there is not room at present for another freezing plant producing fillets. As pointed out above, the two plants at Kisumu have to draw their fish supplies from Uganda for much of the year or have to use their factories for the freezing of chickens. The fresh fish sales in the Homa Bay area, where the co-operative federation has its headquarters, are particularly large; processing would merely add to the cost of the product and lead to the fisherman getting a smaller rather than a higher price for his fish. On 20 July, there were 100 fishmongers selling fish at the lake shore at Homa Bay. Most was being bought locally, with little market penetration inland. At nearby Kendu Bay, a good permanent fish market building with 30 stalls was abandoned, as it was too small to accommodate all the fishmongers and their customers. At Store Market there were many fishmongers; the many other items could be offered for sale because of the thriving fish business.
Since the federation has, however, been formed and seeks to carry out a useful function, an attempt should be made by the Fisheries Department, working in conjunction with the Co-operative Department, to guide it along lines which will provide some prospect of making it a success. The expert suggested (his suggestions met with a favourable initial reaction) that the following possibilities be further considered:
Organization of a monthly lottery, with shilling tickets, for members and the provision of outboard engines as the main prizes. If one assumed a monthly take of shs. 4/- per member, this would give £330 per month, sufficient to purchase four engines. At the end of a year, 48 engines would be in operation on the Lake (at the moment there are none, although they are required for more efficient operation). Some of the accumulated reserves which are constantly increasing as a result of the collection of the 10 per cent cess could be used to add to the lottery money and for the distribution of such minor prizes as insulated fish boxes, lifejackets, fire extinguishers, nets, lines and hooks. Twice a year a ‘star’ prize of an improved canoe could be given. Local dignitaries could officiate at the monthly drawings, while national figures such as the ministers concerned might participate when the ‘star’ prize is drawn.
Setting up an ice making plant at Homa Bay, with hire-service transport in polystyrene foam/wood/galvanized-lined insulated boxes for the benefit of fishermen and fishmongers operating on the islands. The use of ice would make it possible to market fresh fish of a better quality over a wider area than is possible at present. Homa Bay is linked by taxis and buses to inland centres such as Sotik, Kisii, Nakuru and Nairobi, which now receive only small quantities of whole fresh lake fish. This arrangement could make it possible to obtain higher price at the landing, especially in the ‘flush’ season of April and May. There is a possibility that an ice making plant could be obtained as gift under one of the bilateral aid schemes, since this would be in the nature of a pioneering venture on the Kenya shore of Lake Victoria. The experience of the Fisheries Department of Uganda could be drawn upon in this field.
Establishing a shop supplying fishing gear and other requisites, in the nature of the services of a supply co-operative.
If eventually required, establishing a cold store, a petrol station to serve outboard engines, a boat-building and repair shop and an outboard engine repair service.
Provided a mutually acceptable agreement can be reached with the two existing firms, participating eventually in the fish filleting operations at Kisumu, something along the plan of operation proposed for Lake Baringo could probably be worked out.
In the meantime, the two processing firms at Kisumu are carrying out a most useful function; they are giving employment to a large number of people, and are providing additional markets for some of the catch, especially when it is difficult to sell through other outlets. They are run by enterprising people, with many years of experience in the fish business, and should be given every encouragement to develop further. They and the two large firms of African dried fish traders at Kisumu now dealing in Tanzania fish should be assisted in obtaining at least some of their requirements of fish from Lake Rudolf, especially when communications to that Lake have been improved. The dried fish traders can perhaps make an immediate start purchasing fish there.
The Kenya Government re-opened its field office at Kisumu in October 1964. The organization of the work program of the Department was in progress at the time of the expert's visit to the Lake. Priority, it was felt, should be given to training existing staff who were, with one or two exceptions, completely inexperienced in any facet of fisheries work. In view of the great value of fish in the economy of the Nyanza area, it is recommended that the financing of fisheries services for the area be on a more generous scale than hitherto. Fish is the most valuable cash crop in the area for the African producer. In 1963, the estimated landings were 12,000 tons of fish of a landed value of £672,000 which compared with a figure of £1,570,000 for the value of the more important products marketed from the small farm areas in Nyanza, the most valuable other products being coffee (£308,000), cotton (£235,000), groundnuts (£188,000), and maize (£276,000) (Source: Agricultural Department Report, 1963). The provisions, in the 1965/70 Development Plan, for the improvement of landing and marketing facilities in the South Nyanza area will do much to stimulate both fish production and sales. The expert endorses the soundness of the proposals which have been made. It is recommended that a similar scheme be worked out for the landings and markets in North Nyanza.
There is some potential for further expansion on this small lake of 15 sq. miles which lies along the Tanzania/Kenya border in the Taveta area, and is equally divided between the two countries. The present estimate of catch on the Kenya side of the Lake is 150 tons per annum; the estimate for the whole Lake is 300 tons per annum.
Lake Jipe is an extremely fertile water body, similar in many respects to Uganda's Koki lakes, where catches of up to 60 tons per square mile are obtained, and Lake Kitangire in Tanzania, where catches are over 70 tons per square mile. If average per square mile production is, more conservatively, estimated at 50 tons, Lake Jipe may be placed in the neighbourhood of 750 tons per annum.
To reach this target and, indeed, to sustain present catches, it will be necessary to regulate the lake level which at present varies between six feet at the peak of the rainy season and as little as 4 inches in periods of drought, when fishing becomes impossible. A member of the Kenya Fisheries Department proposed in 1954 that a barrage be installed at the outlet to regulate depth and make it possible to keep up fishing operations throughout the year. Another member of the Department who supported this proposal suggested in 1955 that a barrage be erected at the outlet on the Kitogoto neck to maintain the level of the Lake at 6 feet. At that time, it was estimated that Kenya's share of the cost of the project would be £10,000, and that Tanzania would have to allocate an equal amount. Catches at present are worth about £80 per ton at the retail level. The demand for fish in the area is such that most fish is sold at the lakeshore direct to consumers. This places the value of the present catch for the whole Lake at £24,000 per annum, with a potential value, when fully developed, of approximately £60,000 per annum. The industry is worth protecting, therefore. Expenditure on a barrage would still be justified even if the cost of the project had doubled since 1955 to £40,000. At present, the industry supports 514 full or part-time fishermen on the Kenya shore alone. On the Tanzania shore there is a resident population of 258 fishermen who work 141 canoes.
The expert recommends that the Government re-investigate, in collaboration with the Government of Tanzania, the possibilities of damming the outlet from this Lake. It is possible that a more ambitious scheme could be drawn up in order to impound a bigger body of water, as the Lake was evidently much larger at some time in its history than it is today. A similar scheme has recently been carried out in Uganda by the Water Development Department to protect the fisheries of Lake Nakivali. Their experience could doubtless be drawn upon.
It is recommended that as Ptenopharyngodon (Chinese grass carp) become available, the Lake be stocked in co-operation with the Tanzanian authorities. At present, it is weed- and reed-clogged. This could be improved considerably by a thinning out; the food supply of the tilapia could be expected to improve by reducing the weeds to phytoplankton level.
Other minor lakes such as Lake Chala, a 2 sq. mile lake in the Taveta area which is at present unfished, Lake Ol Bolossat in the Thomson's Falls area, and Lakes Balisa, Shalu, Gambi, Ashakababo, Idsoe and Jilore, and numerous small seasonal lakes in the coastal area at the mouths of the Tana and Sabaki rivers, have some fishing potential. The additional fish crop that could be taken from these lakes has been estimated at 2,000 tons per annum by the Fisheries Department.
It is recommended, in the case of Lakes Chala and 01 Bolossat, that surveys be carried out on these water bodies as soon as the Fisheries Department recruits an Inland Fisheries Biologist, since extensive stocking is probably required. Ol Bolossat is a weedy lake and no doubt Ptenopharyngodon would, amongst others, be a suitable fish to stock. Lake Chala has great scenic beauty and considerable tourist potential. Consideration should be given to stocking sport fish and developing sport fishing amenities in the area. A variety of measures could be taken on an ad hoc basis on the lakes at the mouth of the Sabaki and Tana rivers to develop fisheries and several sound proposals involving little expenditure have been put forward to the Kenya Government by the Provincial Fisheries Officer but have so far not been implemented. It is recommended that an annual item be included in the Recurrent Budget of the Fisheries Department, under a general Head “Fisheries Development Work”, so that small works such as those proposed for these coastal lakes, and for water bodies in other areas, can be carried out as part of the routine work of the Department. A sum of £1,000 per annum per main fishing area would make it possible to implement many useful schemes, with a return out of all proportion to the small sums expended.
Lake Nakuru has an area of 20 sq. miles, is very alkaline, with a 0.9 normal alkaline reserve. It was stocked with Tilapia grahami from the soda lake Lake Nagadi a few years ago. The fish are reported to have established themselves in large numbers, especially off the mouth of inflowing streams. No work has been done to see if they are present in fishable quantities. The Lake supports vast numbers of flamingos which feed on algae.
Lake Hannington has an area of 13 sq. miles, with a 0.16 normal alkaline reserve. Clarias mossambicus and Labeo cylindricus occur in the inflowing streams. No tilapia are reported to exist in the Lake and there would appear to be scope for stocking T. grahami. The Lake also supports vast numbers of flamingos.
Lake Elmenteita has an area of 8 sq. miles. It was first reported a few years ago to have a 0.22 normal reserve and was thus in the same range of alkalinity as Lakes Nakuru and Hannington. At the time, the Lake also supported a population of flamingoes. In 1961, however, the Lake received a heavy inflow of fresh water during the floods. The water is now reputed to be fresh and, significantly, the flamingoes have left. No steps have been taken, however, to stock the Lake with fish. Even if the Lake were to dry up again in a few years, it should be possible to reap a substantial fish crop for little expense before this happens. Also, if fish tolerant of soda conditions, such as T. nilotica from Lake Rudolf and T. grahami from nearby Lake Nakuru, were introduced, the period over which the Lake can be fished may be lengthened. Nothing is known of the feasibility of growing mullet in such waters in Kenya. Mullet fry are available on the coast and it should be possible to conduct experiments with these fish. Israel has had great success in growing mullet in brackish inland waters. If the rains over a period of years were substantial, a sustained fishery for a period of several years might be developed on this Lake.
It is recommended that the fishing possibilities of these lakes be examined by an Inland Fisheries Biologist priority being given to Lake Elmenteita.
There are no statistics available on the quantities of fish caught along these river systems; it is not possible to predict any further expansion beyond the 2,000 tons target set under the 1965–70 Plan.
The Tana River, which is over 400 miles long, is shortly to be dammed in several places for the Seven Forks Hydro-Electric Scheme. This will create several lakes, of a total area of 100 sq. miles. The fishing potential of these lakes will be considerable. The Government of Kenya indicated to the expert its interest in obtaining the services of a Fisheries Biologist under the FAO/TA program to carry out the necessary surveys. The expert agrees that such a survey will be required to determine the fisheries potential. He recommends that an expert, if eventually assigned to Kenya, also examines the Sabaki River which is over 300 miles long and has several hundred miles of tributaries.
The Annual Report of the Kenya Fisheries Department for 1955 gives the production of these rivers, which flow into the Kenya section of Lake Victoria, as 3,000 tons for that year. The present crop has been estimated at 1,000 tons (1964 Annual Report of the Fisheries Department). The production is no doubt lower than in 1955 because of a reduction in the stock of Labeo. Minimum mesh size measures for floating gill-nets used during breeding migrations of these fish have been proposed by the Fisheries Department of Kenya to conserve and raise the stocks to their old levels. If these measures are successful, there is no reason why production from the rivers should not reach or exceed the 1955 level. This would give an increase of at least 2,000 tons of fish per year.
It is recommended that if the services of an FAO/TA Biologist are obtained to survey the Kenya waters of Lake Victoria, he also re-examines the Nyanza Rivers.
A survey of the Nairobi market indicated that large quantities of Clarias and Protopterus (approximately 300 tons per annum in fresh fish equivalent) were being received from Magadi. Subsequent enquiries showed that most of these shipments originated from the Ewaso Ngiro River area and the Ngara Ngiro swamp into which this river drains. It is understood that damming operations in this area during the last two years have increased the size of the swamps and fish is now being transported by lorry, both to Nairobi and to Magadi.
This fishery, the extent of which has not yet been assessed statistically, merits investigation by the Inland Fisheries Biologist whose services the Government is trying to obtain.
The northern Ewaso/Ngiro River which is over 200 miles long and the Lorian Swamp, covering an area of 1,000 square miles, into which the river drains, both of which contain fish of commercial interest, have so far not been investigated and nothing is known of their potential. Again, there is scope for investigation here by an inland fisheries biologist.
There is a very large number of dams in Kenya built for supplying water to the cattle during dry weather. The Fisheries Department is currently trying to compile an inventory of these dams which is to show which of them have already been stocked and which still have to be stocked. It has been estimated that there are already nearly 3,000 dams in existence, and additional dams are under construction.
Commercial fisheries have started on two of the larger dams. At Aruba in the Voi area, one dam of between 100 and 200 acres in size (depending on rainfall) is currently producing 20 tons of fish per year and there is every indication that this yield can be doubled. Another dam at Lessos is also fished commercially and is estimated to yield about 50 tons a year. A considerable amount of rod and line fishing already takes place on many of the dams but experience has shown that commercial fishing will interfere only little with this fishing.
It is recommended that as soon as possible an experienced officer, as proposed in the Development Plan, should be recruited to stimulate commercial fishing on the dams. Where there is a riparian owner, the fishing could be done by such or the rights leased to someone else, whilst on public property, the local authorities could issue an appropriate number of permits depending on the size of the dam. The potential production from the 3,000 dams is estimated to be not less than 3,000 tons per annum and could exceed 10,000 tons.
It is further recommended that as soon as possible Ptenopharyngodon, the Chinese grass carp, which is a more effective weed eater than T. zillii and T. melanopleura and would be complementary to the latter, be introduced. Many of the present dams have so much weed that any form of fishing is difficult. Fish of the carp type are very acceptable to the Kenya fish-eating tribes. Fresh Barbus, for example, is sold for shs. 2/- per pound to the Luo and, when available, is preferred to all other fish. The Luo who have eaten carp liken it to Barbus.
In introducing Ptenopharyngodon, it would be necessary to purchase the initial stock of fry from fish dealers in Hong Kong who act as distributors for stocks of fish from China, bred in nature. Elsewhere, the fish do not breed naturally; however, they are bred artificially in India and in the Soviet Union. Once a stock of adult fish has been grown from the fry, it will be necessary to obtain expert advice from India on how to bring the adult fish to spawn by artificial means. This involves the use of pituitary extracts and is a skilled operation. It is a technique which can be easily taught, however, and which can become a routine operation. It is envisaged that stocks would eventually be bred at Government stations, e.g. at the Sagana Fish Farm, at Kisumu and elsewhere.
The geographic distribution of present fish pond operations is as follows:
| Western Province | - | 10,000 | ponds |
| Kisii District | - | 2,000 | (1962 figure - an unconfirmed estimate from field staff gives the 1965 estimate as 11,500 ponds) |
| Fort Hall/Nyeri area | 500 | ||
| 12,500 | ponds (with a possible revised total of 22,000 ponds) | ||
The average size of pond is about 1/20th of an acre. There is therefore a total of between 625 and 1,100 acres of pond area now under cultivation. Total pond fisheries production at the present time is roughly estimated at 120 tons per year, mostly for domestic consumption.
In addition to the local farm ponds, the Fisheries Department has, at the Sagana Fish Farm, 80 acres of pond area under cultivation, and an embryo commercial farm exists at Lake Jipe with a total of 72 acres of pond area. The latter is at present idle but it is intended to put the acreage under cultivation shortly. This gives a total of between 777 and 1,252 acres of pond area.
Mr. Y. Pruginin, the FAO Fish Farming Expert assigned to Uganda, carried out a brief survey of Kenya's fish farming area in 1964 and advised the Government of Kenya to work for the extension of the size of the existing ponds to a minimum of 1/8th acre. No action has been taken on his report as yet because of the lack of qualified staff to implement his recommendations. If qualified personnel can be recruited to take charge of the fish farming program it might be possible to bring about the proposed increase in the average size of the ponds. Naturally, topographic conditions will not permit all ponds to be enlarged but in many cases a considerable increase in pond size may be possible. Some ponds already exceed ½ acre. The extension of the pond size would lead to an increase in total area under cultivation from approximately 1,600 to 2,900 acres. By following the further recommendations of Mr. Pruginin, viz. that mirror carp be stocked in addition to the tilapia which are at present stocked, and that tilapia hybrids be used, it should be possible to achieve a production of approximately ½ ton of fish per acre per year without supplementary feeding. This would give a total yield from the existing ponds of between approximately 800 to 1,450 tons per annum. In the period to 1970, the Fisheries Department is only aiming at a production target of 500 tons from the ponds. In the period beyond 1970, it should be possible to achieve a further increase of 1,000 tons from the ponds, especially if the pond building program is continued and if management and stocking techniques will improve, as should be expected. The ponds are located mainly in areas far from the lakes, where fresh fish is expensive (shs. 1 to shs. 1/20 per lb.). They have a most useful function in some areas, i.e. in the Kisii District and in Central Province, by introducing fish-eating amongst people who have not to date included fish in their diets. Small scale trading in surplus fish supplies is also done by pond owners; this further stimulates the consumption of fish. The establishment of 500 ponds in the Fort Hall/Nyeri area has introduced some 2,500 people directly to fish eating and, if one includes neighbours and others who may come in contact with the pond operators, probably another 25,000 indirectly.
The recommendations of Mr. Y. Pruginin, the Fish Farming expert, made to the Kenya Government in June 1964, are repeated, and brough up to date in the following paragraphs.
Qualified field staff should be recruited for the area, and the present field staff should be sent to Kajansi Fish Farm, Uganda, for training in up-to-date techniques, so that the results of three years of intensive experimentation by Mr. Y. Pruginin, the FAO/TA expert can be passed on.
The fry centre at Kisumu should be re-opened (this is now being done by the Fisheries Officer for Lake Victoria).
Depending on results obtained under similar environmental conditions in Uganda, the common carp should be introduced for stocking with tilapia sp. or hybrids (the mixed stocking in similar areas in Uganda, e.g. Bugisu, has given excellent results, with yields of between 800 and 1,200 lbs. per acre per annum; this work should be proceeded with at an early date).
It is most important to appoint qualified staff to operate the Station in order to resume experimental and research work.
Work should be started on measuring the effect, in the area, on trout fisheries of the introduction of the common carp (it can be mentioned that carp do not interfere with trout fisheries in the United Kingdom and that no interference has occurred to date in Uganda with trout or other fisheries).
Studies on tilapia sp. from Lake Rudolf should be started.
Crossbreeding of local tilapia should be started to determine if 100 per cent male hybrids can be produced.
If it is not possible to achieve 100 per cent male hybrid offspring from local tilapia species, consideration should be given to introducing stocks of tilapia from elsewhere to produce male hybrid fry for distribution.
Until additional qualified men can be trained among the local staff, it is recommended that expatriate officers be recruited.
In the course of the expert's survey it was noted that no action had been taken on Mr. Pruginin's report, except where specifically referred to in brackets above. The expert found that there was no qualified direction of the fish farm extension program in the west and that pond yields were nowhere near their optimum level. In some areas, expensively constructed demonstration ponds on farm institutes, etc., were full of undersize and underfished tilapia.
At Sagana Fish Farm, where there are excellent laboratory and fish pond experimental facilities, no research work of any significance was taking place because of the lack of qualified staff. As a consequence, the farm merely functions as a demonstration farm and fry distribution centre. When inspected, the demonstration ponds were found to be badly maintained and containing stocks of stunted tilapia. Large numbers of farmers are shown such ponds and a poor demonstration, thus, is given of the potentiality of fish farming. Very useful work is being done in teaching fish cookery, and in explaining the value of fish as food, to many visitors from traditionally non-fish-eating tribes. As regards fry distribution, approximately 35,000 tilapia fry were distributed to farmers in 1964. Since this distribution was the main function of the Farm, the estimated cost of these fry was over shs. 3/- each. The same quantity of fry could have been produced from two or three small ponds at negligible cost.
A visit was also made, with the Senior Fisheries Development Officer, to Lake Jipe to inspect the embryo commercial fish farm of 72 acres of ponds on the Lake Jipe Sisal Estate which was constructed there between 1947 and 1949. Most ponds there are between 1 and 4 acres in size and have inlet and drainage sluices. Experiments were carried out with tilapia farming for a year in 1952 by Stanislaw Gostkowski and a copy of his report “A fish farming experiment with tilapia at Jipe, Kenya, 1953” (published by Commonwealth Development Corporation, London) is now available at the Fisheries Department in Nairobi. The results of the work were encouraging but the experiments were not further pursued. Subsequently, the ponds were used to provide food for the labour on the estate but, when visited, the farm had been lying idle for some years. The initial intention was to farm carp on the Israeli pattern on the advice of Israeli experts who visited Kenya in 1946 and who drew up the plans. The introduction of carp, however, was forbidden by the Kenya authorities who were afraid of their effect on the trout fisheries, even though Lake Jipe drains to the Indian Ocean and is not in a trout area. It was also thought that tilapia would give results as good as carp and a potential production of 3,000 lbs. per acre per annum was envisaged.
After 20 years of fish farming, Israel, using carp as the main culture species with tilapia as a subsidiary fish, has achieved a production of approximately 12,000 tons per annum from its fish farming industry. Kenya, using tilapia, has a production of only 120 tons of fish per annum from its ponds; because of their small size, the fish have limited consumer appeal.
The Senior Fisheries Development Officer and the FAO expert succeeded in reviving interest in the ponds on the Estate when they visited Lake Jipe.
The expert feels that no time should be wasted before Mr. Pruginin's recommendations are implemented and that consideration should, in addition, be given to the following measures:
obtaining one or two fish farming experts under bilateral or other aid programs, to direct fish farming development. If two experts were obtained, one should take charge of operations in the West, and the other at the Sagana Fish Farm, with responsibility also for advising on the Central Province and Lake Jipe ponds;
stocking the bulk of the ponds (except the few required at present for experimental purposes) at the Sagana Fish Farm with carp and tilapia hybrids obtained from tested Uganda stock and operating the Farm as a commercial enterprise, selling the crop to pay for its operation (this to be routine until such time as a new program of research can be started);
advising commercial interests on reviving fish farming operations at Lake Jipe. The advice of a specialist should be sought, so that the benefits of the latest experience in carp and tilapia hybrid farming can be obtained;
obtaining stock of carp and tilapia hybrids from Uganda at an early date; T. mossambica and T. nilotica should be introduced with a view to achieving hybrid production locally of the cross between male T. mossambica and female T. nilotica which results in al “all male” progeny so that the fish can be grown to adult size without stunting as a result of premature breeding.
An investment of nearly £¼ million has been made in fish farming in Kenya over the past sixteen years. It is most desirable that qualified staff be obtained to organize the program and to prevent the decline of this potentially very valuable industry and the loss of the funds already invested.
