Man dead in fight over fishing grounds in Homa Bay

A fisherman was killed on Sunday during a fight among Lake Victoria fishermen near Misori beach in Gembe, Homa-Bay County, over the ownership of fishing grounds.

Fredrick Ooko, 39, of Gode Ariyo beach, is reported to have drowned during the confrontation between fishermen from his beach and their colleagues from Misori Beach Management Unit (BMU).

They were fighting over a fish breeding area.

According to Gode Ariyo BMU chairperson Daniel Ombuor, a group of Misori fishermen accused their colleagues of fishing in an area they had preserved for breeding of fingerlings.

Ombuor said a group of Misori beach fishermen had agreed with their colleagues from Gode Ariyo beach to access the fish breeding zone after they were paid money.

However, another group from Misori beach were against the agreement.

The Misori beach team opposed to the agreement then stormed the breeding area where their Gode Ariyo counterparts were fishing and attacked them.

Ooko drowned during the fight while other colleagues managed to escape with their fishing boat.

At press time, Kayanja Assistant Chief Moses Sirawa said the body of the deceased had not been retrieved.

Sirawa added that they had mobilised officers from the Kenya Coast Guard Service to help in the retrieval operation.