By Peter Orengo
Fisheries stakeholders have raised alarm over depleting stocks in the Indian Ocean.
The vital marine resource that employs about 20,000 people and provides monetary income to about 70 per cent of the coastal communities is being depleted at an alarming rate.
A stakeholders’ workshop that brought together national fisheries officials, village-level environment committee leaders, beach management leaders, and marine research institutions including key Government agencies in Mombasa, raised the red alert.
Apart from poor fishing methods, lack of management in the industry is to blame for this new threat.
"It is acknowledged that small-scale fishermen use illegal fishing gears, including unauthorised nets, line traps, herbal poison and even dynamite explosives," Ms Martha Mukira, the Coast assistant director of fisheries said.
To contain this practice, Mukira called for an all-inclusive approach by stakeholders who benefit from the ocean’s resources to reverse the threat of fish depletion.
In the past, environmental concerns have been blamed for poor harvesting of marine resources. But researchers now attribute this to over fishing, habitat destruction and using destructive fishing gears.
Innocent Wanyonyi, a research scientist, said high population influx in fishing zones, poverty and unemployment had exerted pressure on coastal resources, including fisheries.
"Involvement of fisher communities to manage fisheries is the key if we are to combat fish decline," Wanyonyi said.
Intervention initiative
The stakeholders launched a socio- economic guidebook, in English and Kiswahili, to be used by fishermen and managers, as an intervention initiative.
The Government has promised to increase awareness on the benefits of socio-economic policies among fisher communities and other vulnerable groups who benefit from the ocean.
Alternative employment was encouraged to enable the sea to recover after decades of exploitation.
Fishermen will also be used as monitors by recording trends of the ocean, including fish catches over time. This would help influence planning through information sharing with Government.
