Angling for big fish with Sh8bn

After years of poor returns from the ocean, a ray of hope is beginning to shine on the Kenyan coast as huge sums of money flow in to boost fishing. Exploitation of fisheries had been left to artisanal fishermen using crude gear.

Despite marine water covering 230,000 square kilometres (about half of Kenya’s land mass), it only accounts for 5.5 per cent or 7,467 metric tonnes, of the national fish production. Statistics from the Ministry of Trade show that Lake Victoria alone contributes 86 per cent or 117,231 metric tonnes valued at Sh7.2 billion.

Yet even with such a huge potential in its waters, Kenya lacks the capacity to monitor and regulate fishing in the Indian Ocean, according to the government, which has led to under-utilisation of the marine potential.

The Ministry of Fisheries Development is considering foreign partnerships to enhance exploitation of marine resources. With potential of 100, 000 to 150, 000 metric tonnes annually, local fishermen are able to produce only 7, 000 metric tonnes, says Fisheries minister Paul Otuoma.

He says the situation has been compounded by lack of information and data on marine resources, which are largely being exploited by foreign fishing vessels. Kenya is currently pushing for the extension of the exclusive economic zone from 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles.

“The Kenya exclusive economic zone lies in rich tuna belt, which is exploited by fishing vessels from the distant water fishing nations with few benefits to the local people and the economy of the country,” he said last week.

“The coastal and marine fisheries resources are a national asset and heritage and should be managed and developed sustainably for the benefit of the present generation and for posterity.”

He said it was this in mind that the 2008 national oceans and fisheries policy was crafted to enhance the fisheries sector’s contribution to wealth creation, employment food security and revenue generation through private public partnerships.

Dr Otuoma said the government, through various development partners, has budgeted Sh8 billion for development and exploitation of the coastal resources. This includes Sh2 billion Kenya Coastal Development Project (World Bank), the Sh4 billion mariculture (through Arab countries collaboration) and another Sh2 billion for the Western Indian Ocean Fisheries Project.

Currently, a scientific ship SWIOFP is scouring the waters to establish the amount of resources so a monetary value can be put to them to enable the country to negotiate under the Bilateral Fisheries Agreement of the European Union.

The project coordinator of the South Western Indian Ocean Fisheries Project and director of the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute Dr Johnson Kazungu however said it has not been easy to conduct the research especially in Kenya, Tanzania and upper Seychelles.

The research is being funded by the World Bank in five countries to the tune of Sh2 billion.

“The Norwegian Vessel which is in the sea collecting data on the marine stocks is costing the donors $520, 000 and the information will come in handy in the trade negotiations to enable local communities benefit from the resources,” he said.

Trade PS Ali Abdulrazak said trade opportunities in the European Union should be a key incentive for developing fisheries.

“The status of fisheries resources exploitation reveals marine fisheries as the key area that Kenya needs to focus its attention on as the EU market fisheries is about 93 billion euros yet Kenya’s share is a mere 0.12 per cent,” he said.

Other countries within the Indian Ocean are reaping billions from such arrangements and Seychelles, for instance, despite having a coastline of just about 746km compared to Kenya’s 1586km, will generate much more than Kenya.

To this end, the ministries of Trade and Fisheries have launched a task force that has up to March 2010 to provide a frame work for the sustainable utilisation of the marine fisheries resources.