Fishermen bid to land modern gear

For many years fishing has been a key money maker for thousands of Lamu folk.

More than 70 percent of the local people reply on it —but the use of traditional fishing gear and a lack of financial help has bogged down the business.

Fishermen are unable to exploit stocks because they lack the latest equipment and can catch fish only within five miles of land since their boats have small engines and cannot sail the high seas.

“We need the Government to support us so we can exploit those untapped resources,” said Mr Obbo Athman, the chairman of Lamu County fishermen.

He asked the Fisheries Development ministry to help is members repossess landing sites taken by foreign investors, such as Tenewi Island which has become a no-go zone for Lamu fishermen.

“We have experienced a lot of exploitation of marine resources without our involvement,” Fisheries minister Amason Kingi said recently.

Local fishermen petitioned the Government for modern fishing gear, saying when the construction of the Lamu port begins, it would affect the fish sources.

A multi-million shilling cold storage plant built in the 1980s at Mokowe trading centre collapsed several years ago due to what local fishermen claimed was mismanagement and corruption.

It has been taken over by bats and is a target for vandals. Mr Mohammed Shaasi said the plant, built with World Bank funding, has remained abandoned and there is no indication that the Government will revive it.

“This plant was extremely useful for fish dealers operating between Lamu and Mombasa as they would ferry fresh fish to market,” said Mr Shaasi.

Local leaders led by Lamu County Council chairman Abdulkassim Ahmed blamed politics and ineptness within the Government system over failure to empower local fishermen.

“Fishermen at the Coast are still poor more than 45 years after Independence because they do not have the capacity to exploit the exclusive economic zone,” he said

And he added: “The collapse of the cold storage facility is clear picture of how Lamu fishermen have been forgotten not only by the Government but by their own leaders who could hardly raise this matter in Parliament.”

Another cold storage plant initiated by the Government early this year in Faza was delayed after the initial contract was cancelled when the firm was accused of shoddy work. The ministry has since identified another firm to complete the job.

Mr Simon Komu, the County fisheries officer, said the Government had partnered with the Kenya Coastal Development Programme, a World Bank project, to address the issues of modern fishing gear.

“The project will address the many issues raised by Lamu fishermen as we have five key components, including fisheries management, biodiversity, research and entrepreneurship where fishermen will be able to access credit to expand their activities,” he said

It had already been launched but was waiting for operational guidelines, which would show how the money would trickle down to the fishermen.

The Kenya Coastal Development Programme would also address value addition and marketing.

Although some training has been taking place, the ministry intends to increase it by offering advice on fish processing, forming cooperatives and gaining access to international markets.

Lamu is one of the major suppliers of fish to Malindi and Mombasa. Government statistics show production in the last eight years has more than doubled.

In 2000, it was 1.07 million tonnes compared with more than two million tonnes in 2009. Income from 2002 to 2009 more than tripled, from Sh50 million to Sh156 million.

All fish caught is sold largely by middlemen who buy cheaply from local fishermen, said Mr Mohammed Ali Mohammed, chairman of the Rasini Fishermen’s Cooperative Society.

Fishermen in Lamu have to use the middlemen because they lack any cold storage to hold the fish for better markets, Mr Mohammed said.

Fishing was significantly affected by the recent security measures put in place by the Government as it fights Al-Shabaab in Somalia, with prices going up by almost 50 per cent due to increasingly limited supplies.

Although the Government lifted a three-week ban on fishing on the Kenya-Somalia border in Kiunga, Ishakani, Mkokoni and Kiwayu, catches fell significantly.

These regions are among the major fish catchments area in Lamu, with Kiunga’s 600 registered fishermen producing 500 tonnes of fish a year,