Inland Waters Division
Fisheries Research Programme
The Inland annual fisheries resources production in Kenya Sector is about 200,000 tons. KMFRI continues with assessing the fish stocks in the Kenyan Sector of Lake Victoria. However, due to the tripartite sharing of the fishery of Lake Victoria, KMFRI collaborates with its counterpart Fisheries Institutions in Uganda and Tanzania in the umbrella of the LVFRP and LVEMP.
Concerted efforts continue to be made to make the local fishery in Lake Turkana more profitable as it is also a good employer in the area and has improved their living standards through the fisheries cooperatives. Research has been centred on fishing gears and crafts so that fishing can be done sustainably, not to collapse. Research on the fish stocks of Lake Baringo show a suitable fishery and a very profitable one through a combination of closed and open season fishery as the Lake is in an arid zone. Particular attention is also focussed on the development of suitable fishing gears and economic fishing crafts. Other recent completed studies in 2002 include the fisheries research in Lake Naivasha to address the problems of overfishing.
Aquaculture Research Programme
Indeed aquaculture in the inland waters has the longest history, however, there has always been the need to perfect culturing methods and adapting them to various local environmental conditions in the different parts of Kenya. The production through aquaculture is about 1100 tons. In order to understand the problems of fish farmers, a research-farmer outreach programme was designed to study fish growth in the farmers fish ponds, rather than confine research to laboratory ponds. This interaction is geared to encourage fish farmers through idea-sharing in problem solving. The popular fish species for propagation to farmers is still the tilapia. LVEMP supports its Aquaculture programme component.
Natural Products Research Programme
KMFRI undertook research into by products of Nile Perch and coming up with alternative processing of Nile Perch flesh so that it becomes more palatable. This work was supported by FAO who donated various equipment also. KMFRI has also come up with various fish meal formula that can be used for livestock and in fish farming. To make the Nile Perch more palatable and acceptable KMFRI has come up with recipes that are easily adaptable. Currently trade in Nile Perch by-products yield about Kshs. 30 million a year and this is all the more reason why KMFRI has put considerable research effort to popularise and improve the quality output.
Environmental and Ecology Research Programme
The Lakes rivers and wetlands do not attract much tourism compared to the ocean waters Except for Nile Perch sport-fishing in Lake Victoria and Trout sport-fishing around Kiganjo there are no other inland tourist water activities. The environmental and ecological studies are geared to solving fisheries problems and preservation of biodiversity. KMFRI has made strides towards understanding of the massive fish kills that happen in Lake Victoria. For the last six years it has been undertaking research on endangered fish species, culturing them and make release in the Lake with an aim of regaining back the biodiversity of the lake. Whereas Kenya Agricultural Research Institute is introducing bugs to control aquatic weeds both in the lake Naivasha and Lake Victoria, KMFRI has concentrated on water quality studies to establish what encourages prolific growth of the aquatic weeds which choke up the lake surfaces.
Results show there is an increased rate of fertilization of the freshwater due to anthropogenic inputs from urban centres and farms. KMFRI endeavours attracted donor funding from Belgian Government under the umbrella of Kenya-Belgium Project in Freshwater Sciences. The L. Victoria environmental problems are also addressed under the LVEMP. KMFRI has also endeavoured to study and understand the changes in Lake levels and siltation of Lake Baringo and its relationship with the fish production using environmentally integrated approach. Other recent completed studies in 2002 include the environmental impacts due to overfishing and water abstraction in Lake Naivasha.
Socio-economic Research Programme
A detailed study of the Socio-economic impacts of the Nile Perch fishery and fish meal production has been undertaken. The fishery has undergone dynamic changes in the last 15 years involving lucrative trade for international markets but little impact on the fisher-folker in terms of economic gains and infrastructure development. The studies have also been supported by IUCN, LVEMP and LVFRP. Deteriorating health standards for the infrastructure leads to the existing ban of fish export to the European Countries. Other recent completed studies include the socio impact due to overfishing closed and open fishing seasons in the fishery of Lake Naivasha.
Information and Data Management Programme
A database now exists and is funded through the LVEMP. The database is still essentially focussed on Lake Victoria but it is envisaged that it will be ultimately the centre database for all inland limnology research. Library services are also enhanced. Other support comes from the LVFRP.