Two die during fight over fish breeding zone in Lake Victoria

Two fishermen drowned in Lake Victoria after engaging in a physical confrontation over a fish breeding zone in Suba North constituency, Homa Bay County.

The Tuesday afternoon incident at Uwi Beach in Gembe North Location, Mbita Sub-County, is said to have been fuelled by fish scarcity.

The fishermen who died belonged to a group which was overpowered during the deadly clash.

According to Gembe North Location Chief Charles Ngoe, a group of fishermen left Koginga Beach in Homa Bay Town for a fishing expedition across the lake.

Mr Ngoe said the fishermen decided to cast their nets near Uwi Beach, a move that did not go down well with the local fishermen.

Cast their net

"The locals opposed the idea saying that the site where the 'outsiders' had cast their net was reserved for fish breeding," Mr Ngoe said.

Trouble began when the fishermen from Koginga were asked to pack and leave but they stood their ground prompting a physical confrontation.

"A group of five fishermen belonging to Uwi Beach jumped into their beach patrol boat and attacked those from Koginga," Mr Ngoe said.

The chief said that in retaliation, the fishermen from Koginga used their boat to hit the other vessel, tossing it over.

All the five fishermen who were on board were thrown into the water. Three of them managed to swim but the other two drowned.

"Rescuers who rushed to the scene could not immediately locate the bodies of the two fishermen," Mr Ngoe said.

Search for their bodies was suspended on Tuesday evening.

Mr Ngoe faulted the fishermen from Koginga for invading an area preserved for fish breeding.

"They also erred by hitting the other boat which caused the two deaths," the administrator said.

Officers from Kenya Coast Guard Services were on Wednesday called to help in the search for the two bodies.

This is not the first time fishermen have clashed over fishing space in Lake Victoria.

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