Lamu fishermen are urging the national government to ensure fairness when applying its fishing policies and have demanded the right to use beach seine and monofilament nets, which they claim international trawlers use in Kenyan waters without repercussions.
Speaking during a public participation forum held in Faza today on the Fisheries Management and Development Bill 2023, Lamu East legislator Captain Ruweida Obo expressed concern over how local fishermen from Faza, Pate, Siyu and Kizingitini were more likely to be detained by security and fisheries officers for using nets that they have used for ages in comparison to large fishing trawlers that she noted seemed to always be exempt from the same laws.
Kenya Fisheries Management and Development Bill establishes the framework for the sustainable conservation, management, and development of Kenya’s fisheries and aquatic resources, focusing on enhancing livelihoods for fishing communities.
The Bill does not explicitly address the use of beach seine or monofilament nets, which are central to the concerns of Lamu fishermen,however, its provisions on licensing, sustainable management, and regulation of fishing activities could impact the types of gear permitted.
The Lamu East legislator further said the use of beach seine and monofilament nets by Lamu fishermen had yet to lead to overfishing in comparison to the practice that large fishing trawlers of catching everything regardless of whether they were endangered.
“There is need for laws especially within the blue economy sector to be considerate to the common mwananchi and allow them leeway to work within the confines of the law and not wantonly detain them whenever they are found with these nets,” she said.
She further added that there is a need to empower and sensitize indigenous fishermen as to the modern practices of fishing by which they can further increase their catches of the day rather than detain them for having old fishing gear.
Sentiments echoed by Some Bwana, a fisherman based in Faza who stated that when formulating legislation that affects fishermen, considerations need to be made and locals consulted in a bid to ensure that the laws work for the common mwananchi and not against.
“Whenever fishermen are found with these nets the manner in which we are detained is similar to how terrorists are treated which shouldn’t be the case if these laws are meant to better serve us in improving our livelihoods,” Bwana stated.
Mohammed Yusuf, another fisherman from faza further reiterated that there is a need to empower the local fishermen from practicing cottage fishing and develop it into a much bigger commercial outfit.
“The reason fishermen use the old fishing gears is due to financial constraints, and if the national and county governments can take into consideration funding and empowering fishermen to use new gears as the prescribe, it would offer all parties and stakeholders recourse,” he said.
On his part Marakwet East MP and Chairman of the PSC Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation David Bowen Kagongo stated that they would take the fishermen’s concerns into consideration when coming up with a final report that would translate into the adoption of the Fisheries Management and Development Bill 2023 into law.
Kenya has legally banned the use of beach seine and monofilament nets to protect fish stocks, as these destructive methods lead to high bycatch rates, kill immature fish and their eggs, and damage breeding sites.
The ban, which has been in place since 2008 continues to be enforced through arrests and destruction of illegal gear, with the aim of promoting sustainable fishing practices.
