A two-day forum on tuna fisheries kicks off in Mombasa to address a

decline in its catch.

The Coastal East Africa Initiative (CEA-NI) is supporting Community

Action for Nature Conservation Organisation (Canco) and the East

African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) to ensure sustainable fisheries

management and improved governance.

Canco Director Hadley Becha told Move It that the workshop would

provide a platform to initiate and establish a voice for Civil Society

Organisation (CSO) in Kenya on Tuna fisheries issues.

The CSO’s representation has been drawn from all coastal counties with

a marine front from Lamu, Tana Delta, Malindi, Kilifi, Mombasa and

Kwale.

The Mombasa meeting, Becha added, will provide an opportunity for the

organisations to have a broader understanding of tuna issues in the

Western Indian Ocean region and Kenya. He said the meeting will

provide an excellent opportunity for CSOs to influence the development

and implementation of tuna management interventions.

The fisheries sector in Kenya is a major source of export revenue and

an important provider of local livelihood and economic well-being.

Becha said the export of tuna fish provides an important contribution

to foreign exchange revenue derived from fisheries.

Tuna fisheries contribute 13 per cent of the total fish export in

Kenya. It is second to Nile Perch, which contributes to eight per cent

(EPZ 2005)