Fisher folks in Nyali, Mombasa County have raised the red flag over possible loss of livelihood since Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) embarked on second phase of dredging the Mombasa harbour.

Speaking during a meeting held along the Nyali beach frontline, the fisher folks said that since dredging vessels started dumping waste into the open sea, they have been encountering nil sea harvests.

''We feel this is a direct symptom of the plight faced by fishermen having been sacrificed for economic gains. Fishermen nets have only been scooping mud instead of fish,'' Haji Said Salim, a fisherman said.

He added that their daily fish landing have drastically reduced as a result of mud being dumped in the ocean.

''We are starring at self-inflicted hunger. Let the Government consider compensating us for loss of our livelihood as a result of the dumping process,'' Fadhili Ramadhan Gona, chairman of Dimbwi Rosi Fishermen Group that operates close to the English Point Channel , Mombasa said.

Local fish mongers expressed their displeasure with reduced stocks each day since the dredging works started.

''The fish caught by our local fishermen is a delicacy and is preferred over and above fish from other areas. Some of us have been in this kind of business for over a decade and have families that depend on us from our fish business,'' Mama Violet Minado, a fish monger said.

She mantained that for the second week in a row, she and many other traders who buy and fry fish have failed to get regular supplies.

Another fisherman, Yusuf Amele, said that they demanding for a meeting with government officials to seek on way forward.

''It is clear now. We are losing as fishermen .The community around here is losing too. Fish catch has drastically reduced,'' he said.

He said that the dumping of dredged material was interfering with fish breeding site as well as areas where artisanal fishermen who use traditional means venture out.

But KPA in a statement sent to The Standard maintained that it had made efforts to safeguard the environment as dredging work progresses.

KPA Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr Benard Osero said that they continue to monitor the dredging work process and that dredging work and movements are closely monitored by its Marine Service section.

''There are currently two dredging activities taking place simultaneously at the Mombasa Harbour,'' Osero said.

Osero added that the first to start was the dredging work at Mombasa Port Development Project II (berth 22) which commenced on February 17, 2019 and is being undertaken by Dutch Dredging Company, Boskalis using Trailing Suction Hopper dredger christened Willem Van Orange.

He said that this particular dredger vessel is dredging up to 15 metres below chart datum.

The second dredging vessel is working at the new Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT) which is being relocated from its old site and is being undertaken by CCCC Guangzhou Dredging Company using a Trailing Suction Hopper named Jun Hai 6 and dredging up to 17 metres below chart datum.

''The dredgers have been assigned a dumping ground at sea by the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) located more than 5 kilometres from the nearest land at approximately latitude 04-07-20 South and Longitude 039-42-45 East,'' Osero said.

Osero insisted that there is proof beyond doubt that both the beaches and marine life would not be affected by the dredging exercise.