FISHING ACTIVITIES FOR WEALTH CREATION IN THE COASTAL REGION

FISHING ACTIVITIES FOR WEALTH CREATION IN THE COASTAL REGION 

Fisheries industry is a crucial source of income and livelihood for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Fish and fish products provides, high quality protein, essential nutrients and minerals that are often difficult to obtain from other food sources. The world fish production reached a record 142 Million tonnes according to FAO Report; The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture2010.

Aquaculture plays an increasingly important role in the world fish production.    According to the FAO estimation an additional 37 million tonnes of fish per year will be needed by 2030 to maintain current levels of fish consumption for an expanded world population. By 2030, the addition of 2 billion more people to the world population will mean that aquaculture will need to produce nearly double that; 85 million tonnes of fish per year just to maintain the current per capita consumption levels (FAO 2007). The demand and therefore the market for aquaculture production will continue to rise with the rising world’s population.

In Kenya, over 500,000 people are directly employed by the sector, while over 1 million benefit from it. The freshwater fisheries especially Lake Victoria supports about 35,000 fishers and marine fisheries over 8,000 fishers. The majority of these fishers are artisanal using un-mechanized fishing vessels. The country earns over KShs. 4 billion in foreign exchange and the fishers over KShs. 7 billion, thus contributing to poverty alleviation especially among fishing communities in the country.

Kenya has great potentials for aquaculture growth.  Although endowed with climatic diversity, natural features and resources that favour the culture of a wide variety of aquaculture species, only a small portion of these resources are utilized.  In a survey carried out by the Ministry of Fisheries Development, results show that there is enormous potential for aquaculture in the country; the areas suitable for fish farming cover over 1.14 million hectares. If this potential is fully exploited, fish production could be increased to 11 million tones per annum earning about Ksh 750 billion. The Current production is only 4,220 metric tonnes with a total area under aquaculture production standing at only 722 hectares. Although extensive fishing is carried out inland and in some cases leading to over exploitation of inland fishing grounds, aquaculture and marine fishing underdeveloped while the vast Ocean waits to be exploited.

In order to encourage fish farming among the Coastal people, it is essential that both farmers and financial institutions be convinced that fish farming can be profitable and not just for subsistence. Kenya has a good base on which to expand its aquaculture output. Several possible activities that could harness this potential include: culture of food fish, shellfish and seaweed, fish culture for sport, raising of ornamental specimens for export, the recycling of organic waste and the production of industrial fish products such as fish meal and fertilizers, providing basic infrastructure for aquaculture development e.g. roads, electricity to fish farming areas, water, schools, hospitals and telecommunication and radio network systems, creating a legal framework and policies for aquaculture development, providing land for aquaculture development.  An imperative to all this would be to create awareness of the huge potential, involving the communities and other stakeholders in the industry, encouraging small-scale fishermen to form groups and societies to help market their products. Encouraging the private sector to drive the growth of the aquaculture sector through public private partnerships is also key.

Besides fish for food, marine resources also provide for recreation through sport fishing and angling, mangrove and coral reefs.  The marine big game sport fishing significantly contributes to coastal tourism. Auxiliary industries like boat and net making also spring up from fishing. Appropriate technology especially in boat making can greatly promote marine fishing.

   I would like to urge KMFRI research activities to continue to focus on the development of appropriate technology for fishing especially marine, the efficient system of transportation, processing, value addition, storage, preservation and marketing of fish and fishery products, to make them acceptable to local and export markets and utilization of fish by-products.

Aquaculture can make an important contribution to poverty alleviation, food security and social well-being. China remains the largest fish producing country with about a third of the World’s fish production coming from it alone. Extensive aquaculture has enabled it to export aquaculture products, earning major source of foreign exchange which is then invested to further its development. It is possible to do likewise in the this region, if all the players focus on strategic direction. We must take fishing as business and not just for subsistence purpose.