Bank injects Sh3b in fish farming

By Joseph Masha

The Government has received Sh3 billion from the World Bank to promote fishing at the Coast.

Fisheries Development Minister Amason Kingi said the funds were channelled to the Government through Kenya Marine and Fisheries Institute.

The funds will be used on research programmes, train local farmers and equip them with modern fishing gear.

The minister noted that Coast Province, which has a vast cover of the Indian Ocean only produces about six per cent of the total fish exports in the county while the rest comes from Lake Victoria.

"It is shocking to learn that Coast, which is blessed with big cover of water from the Indian Ocean has been contributing only six per cent of the total fish exports while Lake Victoria, other lakes and rivers from upcountry have been producing more than 94 per cent", said Mr Kingi.

He, however, blamed the low catch on fishing gear used by local fishermen.

Kingi said: "Our local fishermen have no capacity to catch big tonnes of fish due to the use of local fishing gears like canoes, which cannot venture into deep seas while others use local fishing lines.’’

The minister made the remarks at Vitengeni divisional headquarters, Mombasa, yesterday when he addressed fish farmers after inspecting their ponds.

He distributed fish liners to the fish pond farmers and gave a personal donation of Sh100,000 to Vitengeni Fish Farmers Association.

Assistant Minister Ali Chiaba, a fisheries director in charge of fish quality assurance and marketing, Mr Okumu Makogola and the association’s Chairman Kennedy Mwangome were present.

The minister said the Government would construct fish processing plant in all counties where fishpond farming is practiced.

Kingi said his ministry will liaise with Water Ministry to supply water to fishpond farmers in Ganze as the area was too dry.