Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Ali Hassan Joho defended counting of fish exercise embarked by his ministry.
Speaking in a press briefing in Busia, the CS emphasized the importance of the country to monitor its maritime stock just like the way census is done for animals in parks.
He criticized those who are opposed to the exercise claiming the exercise is a waste of resources. He noted the fish stock assessment is important for blue economy to attract investors.
At the same time the CS clarified that fish stock assessment is not simply counting of fish but also looking at broader aspects like breeding patterns, health of water and movement of fish.
The Indian Ocean in Malindi, Kilifi County
File
“There is absolutely no one who can go the sea or lake and count fish, so you look at the entire eco-system of the ocean, the trend, the environmental issues in there and health of the water, population of fish, breeding trend, movements of fish and species,” he stated.
Ksh3.6 billion had been allocated to the ministry for a three-year period to undertake a fish stock assessment exercise in the Indian Ocean with the first phase starting on July 1, 2023 and later completed on June 30, 2024 the Ministry spent Ksh1.6 billion.
CS Joho noted that fish stock assessment is important for policy formulation as well as safe guarding fish fish species within our country.
“We can be sitting here eating Tuna fish yet it is going to extinct, how would I know, how would I able to give a license to anybody on what basis on what amount to fish. And that would be informed by some research and science,” he noted.
He added neighbouring countries like Tanzania and Somalia engage in stock assessment activities. He added, “It makes me very sad for someone to just water it down to call it counting of fish. It is not.”
“If anybody tells us to stop doing stock assessment you are basically telling us to allow our neighbouring countries to benefit from our God-given natural resources because Somalia, Tanzania, Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa are doing stock assessment.”
The CS noted that for Kenya to thrive us a country where blue economy becomes the next frontier, the nation must invest in fish stock assessment.
Two men fishing in Lake Victoria
Photo
Secure Fisheries
