It’s early morning at Mulukoba Beach on the shores of Lake Victoria in Budalang’i. Armed with lifesaver jackets, The Smart Harvest team is ushered into one of the waiting boats in the company of Beach Management Unit officials and sail three miles into the deep waters. The head sailor stops the boat and ties it on a guardhouse surrounded by 200 fish cages. This is where Nile Tilapia fish species is reared in cages.
“We are more than 4,000 fishermen spread across 20 beaches in Budalang’i who are practising cage fish farming, a project initiated by the County Government of Busia following a drop in natural fish stocks in the lake,” says Sylvester Kaywa.
Mr Kaywa, the Busia County Beach Management Unit chairman, says the project was started in 2018 to increase fish production and reduce pressure on the lake due to excessive fishing. The beaches include Sio Port, Busijo, Buyuha, Busembe, Bumbe, Sumba Island, Rukoma, Nalera, Namabusi and Mabinju. Kaywa disclosed they harvest and sell 3.5 metric tonnes of fish daily with a kilo going at Sh300, wholesale price.
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https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/farmkenya/article/2001436369/fishermen-dream-big-with-fish-cage-farming