Dunga Beach fish farmers count heavy losses after stock deaths
By Wycliffe Odera, September 29, 2025Cage fish farmers along the Dunga Beach, in Kisumu county, are counting losses amounting to millions of Kenyan shillings following the abrupt deaths of the Fish Stock over the last 24 hours
Residents woke up on Sunday morning, September 28, 2025, to a devastating view of thousands of floating dead fish on the shores of the lake, and the number had gradually increased on Monday, September 29, 2025.
According to Joel Otieno, the immediate former chairperson of the Dunga Beach fish landing site, the death of the fish stock, mainly tilapia, could have been occasioned by a lack of oxygen in the respective cages.
He says the quality of water around Dunga Beach has, of late, been compromised, following the opening of a canal that directs raw sewer and domestic waste from the neighbouring estates into the lake.
Also watch: Program introduced as a way to reduce the cost of fish farming.
Fish farmers count losses
“As of yesterday, 9 fish cages had been affected, and sadly, this morning the number has increased to twelve after three more cages were affected,” Joel stated.
Joel Otieno estimates that each cage holds thousands of fish, mainly tilapia, worth close to eight hundred thousand shillings, bringing the estimated loss to a figure of over nine and a half million Kenyan shillings worth of fish stock in two days.
The fish cage model has been the latest investment embraced by various groups, mainly of fishermen across Lake Victoria, as an alternative to the traditional capture fishing practice, which is said to be diminishing due to decreased fish stock in the natural waters.
The affected groups have called on the county government of Kisumu through the fisheries department, as well as the respective National government department, to move in to their rescue and possibly compensate the affected investors in the sector.
Moments after the news broke, several videos have been trending on various online platforms, where in some footage seen by K24 Digital, members of the public have been warned against consuming fish from the Dunga area, allegedly for being unsafe.
Probe into fish deaths
Ken Okoth, a member of an affected group, has also dismissed claims of overstocking or fish poisoning in the cages, saying that their activities are approved and closely monitored by government agencies to ensure compliance.
“There is no way we can overstock the fish, as rumoured, since all our stages from construction of the cages, placement on the lake, stocking, and even feeding are closely monitored by government experts.
Fisheries and Public health officers from the county government of Kisumu have already visited the area to investigate the possible cause of the fish stock deaths, whilst local fishermen have dismissed rumours of possible fish poisoning.
The County Chief Executive in charge of Agriculture and Fisheries, Kenneth Onyango, in his statement, has called for patience as government experts are investigating the possible cause of the scenario.
The CEC member has assured members of the public that, proper mechanism has been put in place to ensure proper collection and disposal of the dead stock.