Ministry of Fisheries Development

The Kenya’s Fisheries sub-sector has potential to contribute significantly to the National economy through employment creation, foreign exchange earnings, poverty reduction and food security support. The sub-sector contributed 0.5% to GDP in the year 2006. This contribution could be higher if value addition at the various stages of the supply chain are considered and post harvest losses minimized. The sub-sector’s growth was estimated at 4.1% in 2005 (National Economic Survey, 2006).
Fisheries is also an important economic activity to fishing communities and is a major source of livelihood. The sector supports about 80,000 directly and about 800,000 people indirectly, assuming a dependency ratio of 1:10. In 2006 a total of 159,776 Mtons metric tons of fish valued at KShs 8.7 billion to fishers was produced in the country. In the same ear, fish exports earned the country approximately KShs 5 billion.
The Ministry of Fisheries Development is mandated to facilitate the development and management of the fisheries sub-sector. The full potential of the sub-sector has not been realized due to low prioritization of the sector by the policy makers, perhaps due the poor knowledge of the sector’s potential. The current top-down policy decision-making processes, which do not involve stakeholders, lack of coherent development plan, and the low priority given to the sector in terms of resource allocation, has adversely affected its growth. Frequent movement of the Department from Ministry to Ministry, demonstrates the low priority accorded to the sector.

Importance of fisheries in Kenya

Social

There is considerable social importance attached to fishing activities and some fish species. Various social activities are associated with fisheries such as making/or mending fishing nets, boat building, fishing competitions etc.
Fisheries products provide high protein diet and contribute to improved nutrition and health of the communities living in the rural areas where fish is the main protein supply.

Economic

Fisheries contribute to the Country’s economy through employment creation, generation of income and foreign exchange earning. The Fisheries sector also promotes other auxiliary industries such as net making, packaging material industries, boat building etc.

Over 500,000 people are directly employed by the sector, while over 1 million benefit from it. The freshwater fisheries especially Lake Victoria supports about 35,000 fishers and marine fisheries over 8,000 fishers. The majority of these fishers are artisanal using un-mechanized fishing vessels.
The country earns over KShs. 4 billion (approx. US$ 50 million) in foreign exchange and the fishers over KShs. 7 billion, thus contributing to poverty alleviation in rural Kenya.

Recreational

Fisheries resources provide for recreation through sport fishing and angling. These activities promote fisheries tourism in Kenya. The Department licenses and monitors sport fishing and angling activities in the country. The marine big game sport fishing significantly contribute to coastal tourism, but its importance in the fisheries sector is subdued due the prevailing licensing and monitoring system, which, need to be reviewed in order to correctly reflect its contribution to fisheries.

The planned review process for sport fishing earmarked to start with stakeholder consultation is envisaged establish a system that would lead to sustainable management of the popular fish stocks for the sport.
Angling as a sport in Trout Rivers and the lakes is yet to be developed to the desired levels. There is need to re-establish and intensify the trout rivers stocking programme though modernization of the existing hatcheries and development of new ones.