KENYA – In a devastating blow to Kenya’s aquaculture industry, fish farmers around Lake Victoria are grappling with severe losses after a mass fish mortality event wiped out thousands of tilapia across 300 cages.
The incident, which occurred at Mulukoba Beach in Budalangi, Busia County, has left farmers in the region scrambling for answers and financial recovery.
The cause of the widespread fish deaths remains unclear, though experts speculate that a natural phenomenon known as upwelling may be responsible.
Upwelling, which involves the upward movement of cold, nutrient-rich water from the lake’s depths, can drastically affect water quality, potentially depleting oxygen levels and threatening fish life.
One affected farmer, Adams Gina, reported a staggering Ksh5.6 million (US$44,000) in losses. “I have five cages, and four of them have been affected. One cage holds 8,000 fish,” said Gina.
Having harvested from only one cage before the disaster struck, Gina prepared for a major harvest in November and December, when fish demand typically surges.
This tragedy is not isolated. Mass fish deaths have been reported in Lake Victoria, with similar incidents in 2022 and 2023 at Rudacho Beach.
Despite a feasibility study that suggested the region was not prone to upwelling, Gina and other farmers are left struggling to understand the sudden loss.
Another farmer, Yufnalis Okubo, shared the weight of his losses. With three cages holding a total of 38,000 fish, Okubo expected to harvest close to 38 tonnes by the end of the year, potentially generating Ksh13.8 million (US$106,977).
However, the untimely death of his fish reduced his realistic earnings to a fraction of that estimate.
“It’s a great loss,” said Okubo. “Upwelling happens every year, but this time it was much stronger. We can mitigate this with more aquaculture support.”
The losses were not confined to individual farmers. Joakim Omollo Oijambo, chairman of Mulukoba Beach, reported that nearly 250 tonnes of fish have perished across all cages in the area. With no fish left to harvest, the livelihoods of many farmers are hanging in the balance.
The severity of the incident prompted swift action from Kenyan authorities. In a joint press conference, Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Ali Hassan Joho, alongside Busia County Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma, announced a compensation package for the affected farmers.
The government has allocated Ksh7 million (US$54,264) to facilitate the purchase of new fingerlings and Ksh2.5 million (US$19,380) for fish feed.
While the compensation is a welcome relief for the farmers, the road to recovery will be long and arduous.
With recurring upwelling events and other environmental challenges, there is growing pressure for the government and relevant stakeholders to enhance support for Kenya’s aquaculture sector, which has seen significant investment in recent years.
As the farmers of Lake Victoria assess their losses, the incident highlights the fragility of open farming systems in the face of natural phenomena.
It is another reminder of the need for innovative and resilient aquaculture strategies to protect fish stocks and livelihoods in Kenya’s booming blue economy.
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