By S, KNA
The water hyacinth has blocked access to fishing grounds in Homa Bay threatening their main source of income.
Fishermen have decried large carpets of the invasive weed that have trapped boats, torn fishing nets, reducing daily catches.
The Phenomena has not only reduced the earnings of the local fishermen but has also increased fish prices in the market.
“It now takes me over an hour to clear a path through the weed before I can set my nets,” said Manoah Mwai, a fisherman at Koginga Beach in Homa Bay Town. “Some days I return home empty-handed.”
Residents are also concerned about health risks, saying stagnant water trapped by the hyacinth provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes that spread malaria.
Another fisherman, Moses Ogolla, said the dense mats of the weed also pose safety risks, as navigating around them can lead to boat accidents and capsizing.
He added that lake transport services, including water buses, have been disrupted and urged the government to intervene. “Fishing is all we know,” he said. “If this weed is not dealt with, our children will suffer the most.”
Experts warned that water hyacinth can deplete oxygen levels in the water, and in the process drive fish to other parts of the lake thereby disrupting breeding grounds.
County Fisheries Director George Okoth attributed the infestation to high nutrient levels in the lake caused by farming, human activities along riparian zones, and runoff from surrounding towns, noting that the weed often appears between May and August and tends to clear by December, depending on water currents.
“When it comes, it interferes with navigation in the lake and fishing activities because it blocks fish landing sites. Our fishermen are forced to relocate to other beaches,” Okoth said.
He called for joint efforts between county and national governments in managing the weed, including manual removal to restore fishing activities.
“The weeds should be cut, dried and burnt to avoid their seeds from being washed back into the lake and regrowing,” he advised.
However, despite the challenges, some residents have found opportunity in the crisis. Richard Otieno, a local resident, earns income by harvesting ‘Nyapus’ (Clarias), small fish that shelter under the hyacinth which are sold to fishermen as bait for catching larger species like Nile perch.
Others view the weed as beneficial. “The water hyacinth helps prevent soil erosion around the lake,” said Rose Akinyi.