Lake Baringo lies in a closed drainage basin of the
Kenyan East African Rift Valley system at an altitude of
965 m above sea level with a surface area of approximately
130 km2
and a mean depth of 3.5 m. Besides
being a source of fish, water for drinking, irrigation and
transport, the lake is also a repository of fauna and flora
biodiversity. The lake’s water quality has deteriorated in
the recent past mainly due to sedimentation from its
catchment arising from poor agricultural practices, deforestion
and overgrazing. Consequently, these have led
to a decline in fish catches. Since the 1980s, frequent
lake closures to fishing activities have not alleviated the
problem.
The fish community of Lake Baringo comprises seven
species. These include Aplocheliches sp, Barbus