Fishermen at Lake Turkana are expressing relief as a newly donated patrol boat begins its operations.
The government introduced the boat in May, valued at sh 50 million, to enhance security for those engaged in fishing on the lake.
Equipped with a 300-horsepower petrol engine, the patrol boat will be managed by the Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS).
Its duties will include enforcing fishing regulations, licensing fishermen, and conducting rescue operations.
Additionally, the boat will assist in monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) across Kenya’s territorial waters on Lake Turkana.
Joseph Kasuti, Assistant Director for the Lake Turkana Regional Office at KeFS, noted that the boat will operate in the counties of Turkana, Samburu, and Marsabit, as well as the border regions between Kenya and Ethiopia.
A joint team from the County Government, KeFS, the State Department of Blue Economy and Fisheries, and the Beach Management Unit (BMU) recently carried out the boat’s first test run on the lake.
Kasuti highlighted the lake’s potential to generate over sh 3 billion annually if managed properly.
The new facility will aid in ensuring compliance with licensing requirements and the use of recommended fishing nets.
The boat is expected to significantly support the livelihoods of over 7,000 fishermen who depend directly on the lake, along with 250,000 others who are indirectly affected.
“This boat will be crucial in addressing illegal fishing practices that threaten the lake’s sustainability,” Kasuti emphasized.
He also pointed out that there are approximately 4,500 fishing vessels operating on the lake.
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