Aspirant Doreen Dande Inda

Fishermen from Migori County want the government to introduce fish caging method as a means of improving the fish production in the water lake region.

Led by Mrs.Doreen Indah who is also aspiring for the Migori county women representative said that other counties have already introduced the method adding that this will as well create job opportunity to the people especially the youths and the women in the region reiterating that despite having such an asset which the residents have enjoyed for time and again the fishermen and the residents have never benefited from it.

Speaking to the press in Sori after meeting fishermen and fishmongers from the region Mrs.Indah said she is ready to support the fishermen in the inventing of new farming methods of fishing saying she is confident that it would promote the fish production adding that apart from the increased bargaining price economy of the county will also rise rapidly.

This however comes even as the fishermen and the fish farmers according to the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) raised concerned over the increased lower methods of fish production due to inadequate fish farming methods as well as importation of Fish from outside the country which is now a big challenge in the country today.

She challenged the government to create a body that would manage the sector which is now giving the government 60% of the income through tax as well as bring mechanisms that will ensure the fishing methods are improved and other important issues affecting the fishermen.

“We are astonished that even after the agriculture sector is devolved that we expect to see such improvements and new inventions being brought on board, the county government especially those from the lake region have taken little effort to ensure our fishermen benefit.

Some of the challenges affecting the sector included, over fishing,lack of proper fishing methods, corruption cases in the sector, lack of fishing materials as well as lack of proper leadership.

On his part, the chair person of Sori beach unit Mr.Bamrich Okoth said that since the year 2014 when fishing and fish farming was producing a total of 168,000 tons of fish, the situation has reduced tremendously saying that their target of producing a total of 450,000 tons of fish in the vision 2030 will never be realized if such methods will not be embraced.

“We can reach to this if only proper mechanism and new fishing methods are observed, since our living standards have gone down yet we are always trying to seek our daily bread through this,” Okoth said.

Girson yoya who is a fisherman in Sori beach also welcomed the method which they say will do away with the bad fishing methods which is now rampant in the region, but only showed fear that despite that it will increase the fish production most of the fishermen will lose their job.

He urged the residents to ensure they protect the environment which he said has greatly contributed to the reduction of fish species in the water lakes.

Either he showed his displeasure concerning the price of fish along the lake regions saying that a kilo of fish has increased and is being sold the same price of 2 kilos of meat.

“For now a kilo of Fish is being sold at Ksh.600 compared to kilo of fish of the same quantity which is being sold at ksh.300,so it is better we eat meat because we can’t sustain such situation compared to our living standards. Fish is now being left for the rich,” said Oyoya.

The situation has now rendered others to engage in other businesses for sustainability and to take care of their families.

They have however called on the county government through Migori governor Zachary Okoth Obado to ensure they provide the trade licensed which they say has been a problem to them from the tax officers and the police and have hindered their movement and to conduct their businesses promptly.