Research on endangered indigenous fish species underway to improve food security

Bertila Nyanchama and Jane Naitore- KNA

Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute is carrying out a study on two endangered indigenous fish species in a bid to boost their population and improve food security.

The two species which are on the verge of extinction used to be the main catches of Lake Victoria in the early 1950s.

Oreochromis Esculentus (commonly known as Ngege) and Oreochromis Variabilis (Mbiru) will soon complement the two delicacies popularly known as Nile perch and Nile tilapia which are commonly consumed in Kenya.

 Speaking at Kegati Aquaculture Centre in Kisii Central Sub-County, Kisii County, KEMFRI Assistant Director Aquaculture Dr Paul Orina said the Ngege and Mbiru, also known as Singida tilapia and Victoria tilapia respectively, are the original Tilapines of Lake Victoria and its neighbouring lakes.

Dr Orina explained that the lakes have, however, been dominated by the Nile perch which has been found to thrive better around the globe water bodies.

He noted that the introduction of Tilapia Niloticus which is the common aquaculture fish in Kenya and Nile perch had contributed immensely to the declining of the indigenous species.

“Our mandate is to research and conserve the traditional genetic material for Ngege and Mbiru at the lake region and bring them back to avoid over-reliance on one or two species for food,” Dr Orina said.

The research, which has support from Boston University in the United States, Rio Fish and PlusFish Philantropy, is mainly focusing on their performance and nutritional value to find out if it supersedes that of Niloticus so that it can be used to improve the country’s food security as per the government’s agenda.

The research is also seeking to see if the fish characteristics will make it easily acceptable to the local community including the youth, women and the disabled who practice aquaculture in fish cages and ponds.

“We are bringing on board a sub-sector that is able to make economic meaning to our communities and especially women, persons with disability (PWD), and the youth so that they can do these enterprises, create employment, improve food security and nutrition,” Dr Orina said.

 Kenya is also working with Uganda and Tanzania in the research, looking at Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 17), which promotes partnership in terms of research in East Africa, to ensure the species finds its place in aquaculture in the region.

According to Dr Orina, the challenges encountered in the research include the struggle in the first generation of fish under research because of the change from the natural environment to cages or ponds, and poor performance compared to Niloticus.

He explained that the increase in human population and growth of cities along the lake including Kisumu, Mwanza and Jinja have contributed to low fish population because of waste from settlements, and agricultural chemicals.

The use of wrong fishing gears and destruction of breeding grounds has caused pressure on the fish population too.

The solution to this, he said, includes subjecting them to a breeding program just like what the Nile Tilapia had gone through over the years, so that traits of high performance can be selected and subjected to equal competition in aquaculture.

“Having this fish on board will improve not only the quantity but good diet too, mainly protein and high essential fatty acids,” he said.