Fisherfolk in Lake Naivasha are now calling for a ban on the use of crayfish traps to fish, terming the method as a major threat.
They said use of the fishing method was on the rise from both licensed and illegal fishermen, leading to a sharp decline in catch.
The call comes weeks after the county government introduced over 150,000 fingerlings into the lake to increase fish production.
Lake Naivasha is under pressure due to increased cases of illegal fishing that has forced the Kenya Coast Guards Services to reshuffle its team.
According to the chairman of Friends of Lake Naivasha, Francis Muthui, the crayfish traps pose a major threat to the future of fishing in the lake.
It is impossible to detect the traps unlike the normal nets, he said, adding that this had adversely affected fish production.
“The crayfish traps sweep even immature fish thus rendering useless the plan by the county government to increase production through fingerlings,” Muthui said.
He lauded the move to overhaul the Coast Guard team that had been compromised by illegal fishermen.
“In the last one month, sanity has been restored in the lake after weeks of increased cases of illegal fishing and this could help increase fish production,” the official said said.
A senior officer from the KCGS service admitted that it was near impossible to spot the crayfish traps despite increased cases of illegal fishing.
“The traps are laid in the evening and left underwater for the night before the illegal fishermen come in to collect them later in the day,” said the officer who declined to be named.
Grace Nyambura, the chairperson of Lake Naivasha and Oloidien Boat Owners Association, said the reshuffle of the Coast Guard team was bearing fruit.
She said catch in the lake had dropped to worrying levels due to over-fishing and use of undersize nets by illegal fishermen.
“Since the new officers came into office, illegal fishing has dropped by over 80 per cent, fish catch has risen and this is the right time to restock,” Nyambura said.
“Fish catch has increased and we have something to take to the market. We are calling on our elected leaders to allow the current Coast Guard officers to do their duties,” she said.