Marine experts back data driven policies to combat illegal fishing
Marine conservationists in Kenya are advocating for data-driven policies to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which costs the country billions annually. The Kenya Fisheries Service is focusing on consolidating data and implementing management plans to protect marine resources.
Why it matters
Protecting marine ecosystems is essential for the economic stability of coastal communities and the long-term sustainability of the blue economy.
Marine conservationists have called for stronger use of data, research and policy instruments to safeguard Kenya’s marine resources from overexploitation and illegal fishing.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ forum on marine fisheries conservation in Mombasa City, the experts said reliable fisheries data and effective implementation of management policies are critical in ensuring sustainable use of marine resources and securing the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Kenya Fisheries Service Director General Daisy Muriuki said the agency’s mandate is to conserve, manage and develop fisheries and aquaculture resources.
She identified data management and research as key areas requiring greater collaboration, saying research findings should be shared with fishing communities to enable them to understand the importance of data in managing fisheries resources.
Muriuki called for fisheries data to be consolidated under the Kenya Fisheries Service, the institution mandated to manage and develop fisheries data.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in