An Overview of the Fisheries Resources Institutions in Kenya

Abstract

There has been a steady evolution and growth of fisheries institutions in Kenya. The enactment of the Fisheries Management and Development Act (FMDA), 2016 led to the establishment of the Kenya Fisheries Service (KFS), a state corporation, backed by other institutions such as the Kenya Fisheries Council (KFC) and the Kenya Fish Marketing Authority (KFMA). The establishment of these institutions is especially important because of the current focus on the fisheries sector in the country and beyond. However, it is contended in this paper that the institutions cannot deliver on their mandates unless all the governance instruments are put in place including the Fisheries Management and Development (Marine and Inland Fisheries) Regulations, the Beach Management Units (BMU) Regulations, and the Fish Safety regulations. What is more, the archaic Fisheries Policy, 2005 should be reviewed and updated in line with the present legislation and the African Union (AU) Africa Blue Economy Strategy, 2019. Lastly, there is need to streamline and harmonise the functions and mandates of all institutions. For instance, the certificate and diploma courses on fisheries currently being offered by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) should now be transferred to the newly established KFS where the course should naturally belong. In terms of reform areas, the FMDA, 2016 needs to be amended to create a formal intergovernmental consultative forum in line with the intentions of its section 2.