It is worrying that Chinese fish imports now take 83 percent of the Kenyan fish market.
Data from the State Department of Fisheries shows that Kenya shipped 14.8 million kilos of fish from China last year, valued at Sh2 billion, up from Sh1.5 billion in the previous period.
The rising fish import volumes are attributed to the need to meet the annual deficit in local production which stands at 365,000 tonnes.
But the relatively cheaper prices of the Chinese fish have caused fears among local fish traders that they could be driven out of business.
For a country that is grappling with high unemployment rates and poverty, the traders' concerns should be addressed urgently.
If local businesses cannot compete favourably with the low-priced Chinese imports, many will be edged out of the trade, pushing joblessness to record levels. Some people have suggested a cap on volumes of fish brought into the country to cushion the local industry.
The solution, however, lies in equipping local fishermen with modern tools to increase production, investing in commercial fish farms and taming pollution in water bodies.
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