Survey aims to better manage prawn fishing

By Philip Mwakio

Mombasa, Kenya: A land-based prawn fishery survey and observer prawn fishery programme has been initiated.

The survey, which is a Kenya Coastal Development Project (KCDP) project, is aimed at generating data and information that will help in the management of prawn fishing.

The overall programme is expected to estimate how many of the crustaceans are caught, efforts and trends in their fishery, and determine valuation in species composition and population biology.

The survey will also map fishing grounds to delineate the overlap between trawling (semi-commercial) and artisanal fishing grounds, as well as nursery and feeding areas.

According to KCDP Fisheries Manager Shikami Akweyu, the programme will be conducted to ensure the sustainable management of prawns.

The crustaceans — whose sweet meaty flesh is rich in proteins and low in fat and calories — are considered a luxury by many Kenyans.

“Upon completion of the programme, the stock status of the key species, resource maps of key fishing grounds and maps of nursery and feeding grounds for the in-shore prawn stocks will be identified,” Mr Shikami said.

The Malindi-Ungwana Bay is the most important fishing ground for semi-industrial prawn fishing in Kenya, with the catch mainly sold in export markets.

The fishery has experienced numerous management challenges, which are mainly reflected in the resource-use conflict between artisanal and commercial fishers, and stakeholder concerns on its environmental impacts, including excessive fish by-catch and capture of sea turtles and mammals.

The bay is also impacted by sedimentation from the Tana and Sabaki rivers, which lowers marine productivity and environmental integrity.

Surveys were initiated on prawn fishing at the Ungwana Bay in 2001 to assess the status of the stocks and the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of trawling.

Subsequent surveys have been carried out in collaboration with the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute and other partners between 2002 and 2009.

The information from the surveys was used to inform the Prawn Fishery Management Plan (PFMP), which was gazetted in 2010.

The plan provides for continued monitoring of the fishery through structured scientific surveys, and recommends use of on-board observers during the prawn fishing season to collect data.