Year of publication 1982

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Pages p.133

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Author A.G. Coche and J.D. Balarin;Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Division

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Product type Project

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Edition 1

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Synopsis (short abstract) The Lake Victoria Basin, mostly made of the Western and Nyanza Provinces, covers only 8.4% of Kenya's territory but contains more than 40% of the total population. Land availability is small and rural holdings with a low income and little assets are prevalent. Average fish consumption provides only 68% of the daily fish protein requirements, but it is projected that by the year 2 000, such average fish availability will require a 41 000 t production. The public sector of aquaculture is charact erized by a lack of adequately trained personnel, positive demonstrations and effective extension services. The private sector essentially consists of small rural ponds, numbering about 3 000 or 35% of those recorded ten years ago. Average production is low, the total annual production of farmed fish being estimated to be about 45 t. Four fish farming zones are defined on the basis of prevalent air temperatures. Only the two warmer zones are suitable for tilapia culture. Past failures of fish farming development may be explained by the lack of trained personnel and limited mobility, hampering the technical support. Foreign assistance is actually limited to the World Bank Project and to direct extension work by young volunteers. Short-term and medium-term fish culture development programmes are proposed with the main objective of creating an effective extension service. The Kenyan Lake Victoria capture fishery is briefly reviewed. Its yield was estimated in 1981 to reach close to 46 000 t, most likely near the maximum sustainable yield at least without further major changes in the fish species composition. The Nile perch dominates the catch and the introduced tilapia species have displaced the endemic ones, T. nilotica becoming dominant. The significance of the catch data is doubtful and the actual statistical system should be critically reviewed. A World Bank Project concentrates on the improvement of product quality and reduction of post-harvest losses.

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