Kwale harnessing fisheries sector for sustainable livelihoods

By Hussein Abdullahi…

Kwale County government is harnessing the fisheries sector of the blue economy for sustainable livelihoods among the coastal communities.

The coastal county, in collaboration with the Kenya Marine Fisheries Socio-Economic Development (KEMFSED) project, is advancing the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The KEMFSED project is implemented by the State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries with support from the World Bank, with the project duration being 2020-202,5, with funding worth Sh10 billion.

The fishery infrastructure project is being implemented in the coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, and Lamu to enable fisherfolk to increase catches and improve livelihood activities in coastal communities.

The blue economy sector encompasses fisheries, maritime biotechnology, aquaculture, tourism, and marine transport and logistics.

Governor Fatuma Achani says the project is making great strides towards building a climate-resilient aquatic food system.

Governor Achani says the partnership is slowly unlocking Kwale’s fisheries potential and upgrading fishery infrastructure to overcome challenges and boost growth.

Achani reveals that the program also invested in skills development, training 76 local fishermen as certified coxswains including four women to operate vessels and conduct deep-sea fishing expeditions.

“This initiative is not just about increasing the quantity of fish caught; it’s about improving the livelihoods of fishermen and their families,” said Achani, adding that it is a step towards ensuring long-term prosperity for the fishing communities.

Achani says the Kwale fisheries sector plays a vital role in food and nutrition security and economic growth and that the county government is ensuring access to quality inputs, sufficient infrastructure and adequate financial support.

She says the devolved government has distributed 60 modern fishing boats with outboard motor engines, fish finders, GPS gadgets, and advanced fish value addition equipment.

Other distributed items include multifilament fishing nets, cooler boxes, flares, bond liners, life rafts, and life jacket floats to small-scale fishermen to turn fishing into a profitable venture.

She says the investment has significantly improved fish yields, increasing daily catches for local fisherfolk in Tsunza, Waa, Tiwi, Mwaepe, Msambweni, Mkwiro, and Vanga fishing villages from a mere 2 to 3 kilograms to over 1.5 tons.

“Having access to outboard engines and improved fishing gear has allowed our local fishermen to increase the amount of fish catches,” she said, adding that fisherfolk can now fish safely and sustainably.

The coastal county boss says that modern fishing equipment such as the deep-sea vessels has allowed the fishermen to go to the exclusive economic zone.

Kenya’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a 200 nautical mile (370 km) area extending outwards from its coastline, granting the country sovereign rights over its resources such as fisheries, oil and gas and other seabed minerals within that zone.

Achnai says previously the boats being used by local fishermen were not sustainable to fish in exclusive economic zone waters.

“Limited access to modern fishing equipment, inadequate skills, and the growing impact of climate change have hampered their productivity and income over the years,” she said.

She says in addition to equipment distribution, the KEMSFED project has facilitated the construction of nine fully equipped fish landing sites outfitted with cold storage and modern handling facilities in Shimoni, Vanga, Gasi, Chale, and Tsunza fishing villages.

County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture and Fisheries, Roman Shera, says the new facilities have allowed the fishermen to store their catch for longer periods, reducing waste and boosting profitability.

Shera says the cold storage facilities have allowed fishermen to supply fresh fish, which sells for a higher price than dried fi, sh to external marine fisheries markets.

The CECM for Agriculture and Fisheries says developing modern fishing vessels, increasing cold storage capacity, and enhancing processing facilities are crucial steps to improving the quality and efficiency of fisheries production.

“By implementing these measures, we can optimize our fisheries potential and support the welfare of the local fishermen,” he said.

Shera says the success of the KEMSFED project has brought renewed optimism to Kwale’s coastal communities, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to compete in today’s fast-evolving fishing industry.

“The training sessions have taught us more efficient fishing techniques, and we’re seeing better quality catches,” said Halima Hamisi, one of the newly trained female coxswains.

Halima says that before the interventions, fishing operations in Kwale were mostly traditional, non-mechanized, and small-scale subsistence.

“The introduction of mechanized fishing crafts and modern fishing gear has boosted our catches and earnings, eventually improving our socio-economic livelihood,’ she said.

For fishermen like Mohammed Mbogo from Tsunza, the impact has been life-changing, noting that declining catch was creating distress among small-scale fishers.

“Before, we relied on outdated equipment and could barely get enough marine fisheries to feed our families,” he said. “Now, with the new boats and gear, we can venture into deep-sea and catch more fish. It feels like a new beginning.”

Mbogo says maintaining the quality of catches is crucial, yet many artisanal fishermen were struggling to preserve the quality of their catches due to inadequate storage facilities and processing methods.