Fisheries
Kenya Tackles Marine Plastic Menace with New Fishing Gear Regulations
A participant from Lamu, Aziza making a point at the stakeholders’ meeting on the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Fishing Gear Marking in Mombasa/ Photo Mazera Ndurya Cases of boats being entangled by abandoned fishing gear in the ocean are not a new phenomenon along the Kenyan coast. As fishermen tell their harrowing stories of marine…
Munje’s Octopus Closure: A Beacon of Hope and Employment During COVID-19
Munje rangers. Photo by COMRED. On a bright Wednesday morning at Munje Beach, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement as members of the Munje Beach Management Unit (BMU) scurried along the shoreline. The day marked not just the eagerly anticipated harvest of octopus from their protected area, but also the launch of a new speedboat—a crucial…
Closing the Gap: Mkwiro’s Octopus Closure Promises Better Catch and Sustainable Fishing
Mzungu Athman, Octopus gleaner from Mkwiro demonstrating to Munje women how to handle an octopus after harvesting it from the water. This was during the opening of Munje Octopus closure: Photo: Mazera Ndurya Her age notwithstanding, Mzungu Athman Ali has spent a better part of her life as an octopus gleaner. From the time she…
Transforming Science Communication: Artists and Researchers collaborate to enhance science communication
Group Photo of Scientists and Artists Who Attended the Ocean Literacy Training Workshop. Photo Credit KMFRI The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) recently hosted a groundbreaking Ocean Literacy Training Workshop in Mombasa, drawing over 40 participants from across the Kenyan coast and the Western Indian Ocean region. This innovative event marked the first…
Community-Led Conservation Revitalizes Marine Ecosystems in Kwale’s Shimoni-Vanga Seascape
Octopus Gleaners from Mkwiro BMU within Shimoni-Vanga seascape. Women are taking an active role in fisheries and the conservation of marine ecosystems. Photo credit| Catherine Muyonga A visit to several Beach Management Units (BMUs) within the Shimoni-Vanga Seascape one thing that cuts across these groups is the creation and management of community conservation areas. The…
Ocean’s Watch: Suna Dago’s Inspiring Quest to Preserve Munje’s Marine Ecosystem
Suna Dago on duty at the Munje Octopus Closure. Photo by Ruth Keah For the past two and a half years, Suna Dago has been navigating a rugged, bushy path toward Munje Beach, where her duties as a security guard at the Munje Octopus Closure await her. Despite the numerous challenges she faces while patrolling…
Munje Octopus Closure Shines Light on Community-led Marine Conservation
Munje BMU fisher Power Tabu displaying Octopus catch during the second opening of the Octopus Closure. Photo | Ruth Keah The excitement from the community members was palpable as you walked along the Munje beach that was teaming with people from as early as 7am to witness yet another milestone in marine conservation and livelihood…
Kenyan Fishers Call for Government Action to Improve Working Conditions
ITF Ship Inspector Betty Makena facilitating at the workshop on Labour and fishing work on board fishing vessels. Photo Courtesy | Mazera Ndurya. Listening to fishers tell their stories of the escapades while at sea fishing in canoes and other small boats can be heart wrenching and one would even think all is rosy for…
Science and Research offer hope for Africa’s Artisanal fishers’ challenges
Dr Emmanuel Mbaru (front left) and other members of Marine & Coastal Operations for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean (MARCOSIO) consortium during the GMES&Africa Forum in Sham El Sheikh, Egypt| Photo courtesy WIOMSA In the past elders would predict the weather and then warn fishermen of impending storms and their forecast was reliable. Fisheries was largely…
Safeguarding coral reefs through responsible tourism practices
Traditional dhow used for marine excursion to Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area. Photo|Joshua Wambugu Growing up in Wasini village, Suleiman Kionzo, whose matrimonial home is in Lunga Lunga, an area bordering Kenya and Tanzania, was molded into becoming one of the prominent boat operators in the Shimoni region. Kionzo, who is a member of the Wasini…
