Nairobi, June 29 -- The High Court has upheld new government charges on commercial fish farming, including a Sh50,000 annual licence fee on aquaculture establishments operating in public waters and a five percent levy on landed fish.

In a judgment delivered in Nairobi on Monday, the court rejected a constitutional challenge arguing that the charges would harm Kenya's fish farming industry and small businesses.

The regulations - Fisheries Management and Development (Aquaculture) Regulations, 2024- had been suspended in December 2024 following a petition filed by the Lake Victoria Aquaculture Association. They were to take effect on January 1, 2025.

In the judgment, the court held that the regulations were lawfully made by the Ministry o...