The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Hassan Joho, has reaffirmed Kenya’s unwavering commitment to collaborating with other nations in tackling Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) Fishing that severely depletes marine ecosystems.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, CS Joho stated that IUU is a global challenge that requires concerted efforts to address.
“One of the discussions we’re going to be having is global blacklisting for anyone or any company or any group that is dealing with IUU. IUU fishing has no space today,” said Joho.
He added, “But on implementation and enforcement, we need to have a partnership beyond Kenya. So that we have a global banning system of illegal practices. A vessel that has committed a crime here should not comfortably be able to operate in any other waters. That can only be achieved if we have a common position.”
The CS emphasised that IUU fishing must be dealt with zeal and commitment to be eradicated.
The CS underscored the need for nations to align their enforcement policies and sharing of information to end the IUU scourge that poses significant risk to the marine ecosystem.
The CS further explained that sharing of information and technology between nations would boost surveillance.
“Through sharing of information. We can be able to know who is in our waters, who is operating in which waters, and whether they are licensed and regulated. So don’t imagine for a minute that this can only be a Kenyan affair,” he said.
“It goes beyond Kenya, but we are committed to work with partners to ensure that we overcome the IUU challenge.”
The CS revealed that they are 50-flagged vessels, and the government is keen to increase the country’s quota as provided by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).
He noted that investors have expressed interest in investing in vessels because Kenya is the corridor of bluefin and yellowfin tuna, which are valuable and marketable.
“IOTC has given Kenya a quota of about 3,200 tonnes. We are now having a discussion to almost double it. And we’ll be grateful; I’ll be very happy, as a minister here, if I see more Kenyan participation so that we tap into this enormous potential,” said CS Joho.
To curb post-harvest losses, the government has invested heavily in fish landing sites and cold-storage facilities from the lakeside to the coast region.
CS Joho further disclosed that the cabinet had given him the approval to engage partners to raise Sh32 billion to be invested in improving the livelihood of fisherfolk.
The OOC11 is the first to be held in Africa since its inception in 2014. It brings together over 6000 delegates from across the globe.
CS Joho said there have been over 2,900 commitments since the inception of the conference valued at over USD 160 billion.
“What we want to achieve here is to be able to close the gap and move into tangible action. Where conversations are now turned to concrete, implementable plans, so that communities, BMUs can have an impact, can feel the impact.”
By Sadik Hassan
