Kenya joins rest of the world on fight to save endangered shark, rays species

International Funds for animal Welfare [IFAW] head of programmes, Steve Njumbi [left] makes a point during a two-day workshop for protecting sharks and Rays at Voyager Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa.

Kenya has officially announced its intentions to join the global fight to save some of the planet’s strangest sharks and rays that are facing extinction partly due to commercial fishing. 

Speaking on the side lines of an inaugural national workshop on sharks and rays, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Acting Director General, Dr Charles Musyoki said that holding of the workshop was a clear manifestation of what Kenya as a maritime nation wants to do with its vast marine resources that includes sharks and rays.

''Our country is largely known for the existence of large land mammals like the Big Five .Rarely do we talk about marine creatures that freely swim our oceans and form part of a fragile ecosystem .It is time for us to think beyond the Big Five in terms of conservation efforts,'' he said.

Reports indicate that sharks and rays remain in deep trouble with about 100 million killed in commercial fisheries each year with the global trade in their fins and meat being unsustainable.

Sharks and rays population, according to Dr Musyoki has recorded a 73 per cent decline which he termed as serious and alarming.

Sharks and rays play critically important role in maintaining the health of marine ecosystems, these mortality rates have significant implications for ocean health worldwide.

Dr Musyoki who was flanked by Steve Njumbi, Head of Programs at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and KWS Coast Conservation Area Assistant Director Dr Arthur Tuda said that sharks and rays and other host of endangered marine species need focused conservation efforts.

''They (marine species) are not going through a good time .Some live beneath the ocean waters to a depth of up to 200 metres. The society in which we live is largely ignorant and do not know what type of challenges that these species are facing,'' he said.

Musyoki added that they hope create more awareness on the plight of sharks and rays by bringing together various stakeholders to pass the message on the need to conserve.

''We really want to make a strong statement. Sharks and Rays face challenges faced by the Big Five on dry land. Their numbers are decreasing at an alarming rate and there is need for all and sundry to join in the war to help conserve these species for posterity,'' Musyoki said.

The workshop brought together enforcement agencies like the Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Fisheries Services among others.

KWS and IFAW sponsored the two day workshop at the Voyager Beach Resort and Spa, Mombasa County.

''We are joining hands to ensure to stop any illegal movements of fins, meat and any other products coming out of sharks and rays,'' he said.

Musyoki said that as a country, Kenya shall play its role to ensure that its territorial waters that are home to the various migratory species of marine creatures are not extinct.

Musyoki said that they are excited at prospects of having the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that has long been considered one of the best tools to ensure global trade does not threaten the survival of of species included as a guideline in their efforts of conservation.

''CITES provides good framework for controlling illegal trade on sharks and rays,'' he said.