Aquaculture Development Potential in and around Lake Naivasha, Kenya.
Lake Naivasha in Kenya is shallow and its fishery landings are affected adversely by water level fluctuations and human activities around and in the Lake. The observed fluctuation in the Lake’s fish catches could be attributed to excess fishing pressure, to changing anthropogenic activities and to changes in water levels, due both to nature and human. The primary objective of the current study was to assess the possibilities and to appraise the capacities and outlook of the local community for aquaculture development. A review of existing literature and other relevant information was carried out to improve our insight in opportunities and constraints on the current situation in Lake Naivasha. This was supplemented with information collected during a six week fieldsurvey that ran from 1st may to 15th June 2006. The feasibility study was sponsored by Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) and NUTRECO, while Wageningen (Aquaculture and Fisheries Group) University offered the technical support and supervision. The lake ecosystem faces an array of serious threats to its ecological stability and functioning. These threats revolve around unsustainable resource exploitation both within the lake and its catchments. These include pollution from agricultural activities, sewage waste, siltation, water level & abstraction, habitat degradation and illegal fishing. These threats have transformed the lake’s ecological processes causing far reaching socio-economic consequences, affecting biodiversity, water quality and lake’s fishery. The sustainable restoration of Lake Naivasha’s natural potential requires a participatory management plan together with law enforcement. While the yields from capture fishing are declining, the consumption and demand for fish within Naivasha basin and the surrounding areas is increasing. The opportunity, therefore, exists for Lake Naivasha and its catchments area to develop aquaculture to supply the ever increasing demand for fish. Lake Naivasha’s surroundings and catchments areas are scattered with small communal water bodies and multifunctional private ponds. Aquaculture development in the region is constrained by lack of aquaculture tradition, of practical experience and training, of finances & credit for starting-up aquaculture and by limited or no access to water and suitable land. A SWOT analysis demonstrates that Lake Naivasha region present some strengths and opportunities for aquaculture development and its’ promotion could improve the fishery status of the lake and provide means of livelihood. To achieve this positive contribution of aquaculture, two main actions reducing weaknesses have to be undertaken: (1) provision of the seed of the desired species at the appropriate time, and (2) access to credit facilities and information. The two opportunities to establish a small hatchery for the provision of fingerlings are either to rehabilitate the KWSTI-annex or to identify a suitable partner within the lake vicinity and construct one. The rehabilitation of the non-functional KWSTI-annex demands very high investments. We advise to identify a private partner ready to invest land, time and money. NUTRECO Holding NV could assist in the identification of complementary funding in a bilateral public private partnership. Staff can be trained at low cost in Uganda. The hatchery should have an extension assignment. The Kenyan government could support the initiative, also by investing in extension and training for aquaculture.
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Report biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wageningen University
2006
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| Subjects: | Aquaculture development, Anthropogenic factors, Socioeconomic aspects, Livelihoods, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/6867 |
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| Summary: | Lake Naivasha in Kenya is shallow and its fishery landings are affected adversely by water level fluctuations and human activities around and in the Lake. The observed fluctuation in the Lake’s fish catches could be attributed to excess fishing pressure, to changing anthropogenic activities and to changes in water levels, due both to nature and human. The primary objective of the current study was to assess the possibilities and to appraise the capacities and outlook of the local community for aquaculture development. A review of existing literature and other relevant information was carried out to improve our insight in opportunities and constraints on the current situation in Lake Naivasha. This was supplemented with information collected during a six week fieldsurvey that ran from 1st may to 15th June 2006. The feasibility study was sponsored by Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) and NUTRECO, while Wageningen (Aquaculture and Fisheries Group) University offered the technical support and supervision. The lake ecosystem faces an array of serious threats to its ecological stability and functioning. These threats revolve around unsustainable resource exploitation both within the lake and its catchments. These include pollution from agricultural activities, sewage waste, siltation, water level & abstraction, habitat degradation and illegal fishing. These threats have transformed the lake’s ecological processes causing far reaching socio-economic consequences, affecting biodiversity, water quality and lake’s fishery. The sustainable restoration of Lake Naivasha’s natural potential requires a participatory management plan together with law enforcement. While the yields from capture fishing are declining, the consumption and demand for fish within Naivasha basin and the surrounding areas is increasing. The opportunity, therefore, exists for Lake Naivasha and its catchments area to develop aquaculture to supply the ever increasing demand for fish. Lake Naivasha’s surroundings and catchments areas are scattered with small communal water bodies and multifunctional private ponds. Aquaculture development in the region is constrained by lack of aquaculture tradition, of practical experience and training, of finances & credit for starting-up aquaculture and by limited or no access to water and suitable land. A SWOT analysis demonstrates that Lake Naivasha region present some strengths and opportunities for aquaculture development and its’ promotion could improve the fishery status of the lake and provide means of livelihood. To achieve this positive contribution of aquaculture, two main actions reducing weaknesses have to be undertaken: (1) provision of the seed of the desired species at the appropriate time, and (2) access to credit facilities and information. The two opportunities to establish a small hatchery for the provision of fingerlings are either to rehabilitate the KWSTI-annex or to identify a suitable partner within the lake vicinity and construct one. The rehabilitation of the non-functional KWSTI-annex demands very high investments. We advise to identify a private partner ready to invest land, time and money. NUTRECO Holding NV could assist in the identification of complementary funding in a bilateral public private partnership. Staff can be trained at low cost in Uganda. The hatchery should have an extension assignment. The Kenyan government could support the initiative, also by investing in extension and training for aquaculture. |
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