A 35-year-old fisherman lost his life on Monday, May 5 evening after a violent confrontation between two groups of fishermen competing for fishing grounds on Lake Victoria at Mukuyu Beach in Homa-Bay County.
Fredrick Oduol and his colleagues were out on a fishing expedition when another group accused them of fishing in a space not designated for them.
The dispute quickly turned violent, with Oduol being struck with a paddle and sustaining serious injuries.
He was rushed to Mikuyu Health Centre where he later died.
Suba Sub-county Beach Management Unit Chairman William Onditi said the violence was a direct consequence of the declining fish population in Lake Victoria, which he blamed on illegal fishing methods that kill immature fish before they can grow, leaving fishermen scrambling over shrinking fishing grounds.
Homa-Bay County Beach Management Network Chairman Edward Oremo echoed those concerns, calling for an end to illegal fishing methods which he said were a recipe for chaos on the lake.
He also urged fishermen to find other sources of income to reduce the pressure on Lake Victoria’s fish stocks.
