Artisanal Fishers on the Kenyan Coast (Afrika-Studiecentrum Series)

161 Pages·2009·1.75 MB·English

by  Wangila

Artisanal Fishers on the Kenyan Coast
Afrika-Studiecentrum Series
Editorial Board
Dr Piet Konings (African Studies Centre, Leiden)
Dr Paul Mathieu (FAO-SDAA, Rome)
Prof. Deborah Posel (University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg)
Prof. Nicolas van de Walle (Cornell University, USA)
Dr Ruth Watson (Birkbeck College, University of London)
VOLUME 14
Artisanal Fishers on
the Kenyan Coast
Household Livelihoods and
Marine Resource Management
By
Jan Hoorweg
Barasa Wangila
Allan Degen
LEIDEN (cid:129) BOSTON
2009
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Cover photo caption: ‘Fishers in Watamu beaching a mashua vessel’
Photo by Jan Hoorweg
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Artisanal fishers on the Kenyan coast : household livelihoods and marine resource
management / edited by Jan Hoorweg, Barasa Wangila, Allan Degen.
p. cm. — (Afrika-studiecentrum series ; v. 14)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-90-04-17808-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Fishers—Kenya—Economic conditions. 2. Fisheries—Kenya. 3. Marine resources—
Kenya—Management. I. Hoorweg, Jan. II. Wangila, Barasa. III. Degen, A. Allan, 1946-
IV. Title. V. Series.
HD8039.F66K422 2009
331.7’6320967623—dc22
2009022048
ISSN 1570-9310
ISBN 978 90 04 17808 3
Copyright 2009 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing,
IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
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Fees are subject to change.
printed in the netherlands
Contents

Acknowledgements vii
Abbreviations/Acronyms viii
Glossary ix
List of tables x
List of figures xi
List of boxes xi
List of maps xi

1. Sea fisheries in Kenya 1
Background history 1
Artisanal fisheries 7
Fisher incomes and poverty 10
Resource conservation 12
Fishing on the Indian Ocean coast 15
Outline 22
2. Talking to fishers 25
Study area 25
Study design 27
Survey of artisanal fishers 28
Survey of fish landings 29
Survey of fish traders 30
Survey of fisher households 31
Supporting studies 32
3. Artisanal fishers and their craft 35
Fishing vessels 39
Fishing gear 41
Ethnic tradition in fishing 44
Conclusions 47
4. Fish landings 55
Fish species composition and catch size 55
Fisher incomes 61
Fish handling and marketing 64
Marketing constraints 68
Conclusions 69
v
5. Fisher livelihoods 71
Economic activities 73
Household incomes 75
Income diversification 78
More about activity diversification 79
Food consumption 80
Conclusions 84
6. Marine conservation 87
Fisher number 88
Fishing grounds 90
Fishing gear 93
Fishing frequency 96
Income diversification and fishing practices 97
Conclusions 99
7. Conclusions 102

Appendices 117
1 List of fish species in the Malindi-Kilifi marine waters 118
2 Catch composition by landing site 122
3 Household food consumption 123
4 Regulations in Marine Parks and Marine Reserves 127

Notes 128
References 131
Index 143

vi
Acknowledgements
This monograph is based on several years of research on resource diversifica-
tion among artisanal fishers that was supported by the Netherlands-Israel Re-
search Programme (Project NIRP-97-145-7), Moi University (Eldoret, Kenya),
Ben Gurion University (Beer Sheva, Israel) and the African Studies Centre
(Leiden, the Netherlands). The project consisted of eight studies in all: four
major surveys and four M.Sc. studies.
Our thanks go firstly to the officials of the NIRP programme and the colla-
borating institutes who made the project possible: Prof. Ton Dietz, Prof.
Richard Israelowitz, Prof. Mwakio Tole, Prof. Wilson Yabann, Prof. Gerti Hes-
seling and Prof. Leo de Haan, and the staff of the NIRP secretariat, Dr Henk
Mastenbroek and Ms Loes Minkman.
We are also indebted to Mas’ad Omar Mohammed, Joseph Tunje, Nicole
Versleijen and Andrew Wamukota whose thesis research was part of the project
and who provided many useful insights. After completing his thesis, Joseph
Tunje stayed on as field supervisor with the project.
We are grateful to colleagues who contributed their time as supervisors or
advisors: Dr Dick Foeken, Dr B. Kaunda-Arara, Dr H.K. Maritim, Dr M.
Muchiri, Dr Nyawira Muthiga, Dr Robert Mwadime, Dr C. Ngugi, Dr David
Obura, Dr J.B. Okeyo-Owuor, Dr Marcel Rutten, Prof. Joseph Uyanga, Dr G.M.
Verschoor and Dr. Enock Wakwabi.
The project was based at the Coast Environment Research Station in Malindi
and we appreciated the assistance of the administrative staff there as well as the
resident students: Mary Gona, Rebson Dzala, Abdirizak Nunow, Genevieve
Atamba and Thomas Munyao. Mohamed Salim and Frederick Mulewa doubled
as both office staff and field assistants.
We are most grateful to the fishers who acted as key informants, in particular
Yusuf, Shafie and Osthaz, and to our many assistants: Rashid Anam, Mohamud
Awadh, M. Boaz, Joseph Charo, Margaret Kai, Charo Karabu, Jackson Kombe
Karabu, Mohammed Kheir, Gabriel Kombe, Mohammed Kombo, Sidi Moha-
mud, Hafith Thei Mote, Said Ali Mponye, Abdulrahman Shariff, Florence
Umazi and Harrison Yeri.
We wish to thank the people who contributed to the project in less formal
ways, if only through their thought-provoking discussions and enduring sup-
port: Thomas Dansforth, the captain of a sports fishing boat, Abe Gonshor, a
renowned sports fisherman, John Ridgway, proud owner of a jahazi, Roger
Benjamin of Ben-Gurion University, the late Prof. Juma Lugogo of the Coast
Development Authority, Gideon Mungaro, the mayor of Malindi, Ann Robert-
son, the environmental conscience of Malindi, and Alice Mapenzi Kubo. Final-
ly, we would like to thank Nel de Vink for the maps and illustrations and an
anonymous reviewer of the manuscript for his helpful comments.
vii
Abbreviations/Acronyms

ANOVA Analysis of variance
CDA Coast Development Authority
CT Coastal tract
DFID Department for International Development (UK)
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
GSI Gonadosomatic Index
H’hlds Households
KASA Kenya Association of Sea Anglers
K£ Kenya pound
Ksh Kenya shilling
KWS Kenya Wildlife Service
LS Landing site
MENR Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
MR Multiple response
MSY Maximum sustainable yield
NIRP Netherlands-Israel Research Programme
SL Standard length
TL Total length
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
WHAT World Humanity Action Trust
WIOMSA Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association

viii
Glossary

Baruti Explosives
Boda boda Bicycle taxi
Bunduki Spear gun
Chapati Flat bread made from wheat flour
Dau Medium-sized vessel
Dhow General term used for medium-sized and large vessels
Fundi Craftsperson
Hori Canoe made from planks
Jahazi Large-sized vessel
Jarife Floating net
Juya Beach seine
Kaskazi Season of north-east monsoon
Kimia Sardine net
Kitoweo Part of the catch kept for domestic consumption
Kusi Season of south-west monsoon
Makuti Roofing material from the leaves of coconut trees.
Malema Fish trap
Mashua Large-sized vessel
Matatu Small van, operated as means of public transport
Mavumba Pounded fish emitting strong smell
Mchupa Fish poison
Mshipe Hand line
Mkonjo Metal rod
Mpweke Gill net
Mtumbwi Dug-out canoe
Mzimu Sacred place near the sea
Mzungu White man
Ngalawa Outrigger canoe
Sadaka Traditional marine ceremony
Shamba Farmland
Tajiri Fish trader and entrepreneur
Talbisi Side matting for vessels
Tanga Sail
Ugali Stiff porridge made from maize flour
Uzio Fishing fence

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