Nairobi: The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) has partnered with fishermen to restore the degraded papyrus reeds along the Lake Naivasha shoreline, aiming to boost fish breeding sites, improve water quality, and curb pollution. The project, funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), targets the restoration of 30 acres, with an eventual goal of expanding papyrus cover by an additional 100 acres within the next two years.
According to Kenya News Agency, Edna Waithaka, in charge of KMFRI Naivasha, indicated that the lake’s ecosystem has been adversely affected by the destruction of the papyrus, with waste and silt openly flowing into the lake. “This weed is critical in protecting the lake from effluents from nearby estates, farms, and hotels, and thus the need to rejuvenate it so that we can stop serious forms of pollution,” she said.
Waithaka reported a sharp decline in fish landings, from a peak of about 3,400 metric tonnes in 2019 to approximately 1,050 metric tonnes last year, with some fish species being depleted. She attributed this decline to increased fishing pressure, illegal fishing, poor fishing practices, and the degradation of papyrus and other aquatic vegetation that sustain the lake’s food web.
She further noted that about 70 percent of the lake’s papyrus cover had been lost over the past two decades due to illegal cultivation, encroachment on riparian land, and use as livestock feed, leaving only scattered vegetation along parts of the shoreline. Waithaka emphasized that the plant acts as a natural filter against effluents, and its loss had allowed waste and silt to flow unchecked into the lake, contributing to declining water quality.
Waithaka highlighted the importance of papyrus as nesting grounds for some birds and as breeding sites for fish, adding that restoring the vegetation would help re-establish a balance supporting fishers, birds, hippopotamuses, and other species dependent on the lake ecosystem.
KMFRI senior official Salima Otieno emphasized the importance of papyrus for fish breeding, as fish lay their eggs and attach them to the roots of the plant. She advocated for reduced fishing pressure and the adoption of closed seasons to allow fish stocks time to regenerate.
Grace Nyambura, representing the Naivasha Oloiden Fishers Community Based Organisation (NAOFO), stated that the restoration idea originated with local fisher-folk after observing an alarming drop in catches. She called on multi-stakeholders to restore the lake and enhance sustainability, noting that the lake borders five of Naivasha’s eight wards, meaning a significant share of residents depend on it for their livelihoods.
Paul Ruoya of the Lake Naivasha Basin Landscape Association (LANABLA) warned of the pressures from illegal logging in the upper catchment, cautioning that unchecked logging would significantly impact downstream water levels. Stakeholders emphasized that restoring Lake Naivasha should be seen as a shared responsibility, requiring cooperation among communities, government agencies, conservation bodies, and other lake users.
