Migori County Launches Fishing Kayak Racing League on Lake Victoria

Migori County debuted the Lake Victoria Kayak Endurance Series on March 9, 2025—a 10km traditional fishing kayak race promoting eco-tourism and youth engagement. 120 participants from Homa Bay, Kisumu, and Busia paddled hand-carved *mtumbwi* canoes, with safety vests and GPS trackers provided by Kenya Maritime Authority. Winner: 24-year-old fisherman Evans Ochieng (1:04:18), who used ancestral tide-reading techniques. The event, part of the *Blue Economy Sports Initiative*, reduced illegal fishing reports by 31% in participating beaches (per KMFRI data). County Executive for Tourism, James Nyamweya, announced plans for a regional championship in 2026. We’re turning survival skills into sport—and sport into livelihoods, he said. The World Bank included the model in its *Inclusive Blue Growth* case studies.