Fishermen receive fishing gear and equipment from the Kenya Red Cross at Mtangawanda in Lamu East. The fishermen have cried foul over the prolonged night fishing ban in the region. PHOTOS | KALUME KAZUNGU | NMG
In May 2017, the national government announced that the ban had finally been lifted, to the relief of the more than 6,000 fishermen in the region.
However, this was a short-lived, as the fishermen have never been allowed to conduct fishing at night since the announcement was made.
The prolonged ban on night fishing in Lamu East has led to underperformance and subsequent collapse of various fishing cooperative societies in the region.
The ban was imposed in 2011 following a spate of terror attacks by the militant group Al-Shabaab, including the abduction of tourists in areas near the Lamu-Somalia border.
In May 2017, the national government announced that the ban had finally been lifted, to the relief of the more than 6,000 fishermen in the region.
However, this was a short-lived as the fishermen have never been allowed to conduct fishing at night since that announcement was made.
Despite the introduction of a fishers' card (mvuvi card) meant to help security officers identify and locate fishermen, their places of origin and the BMUs (beach management units) that they belong to, those interviewed said they are still denied access to the ocean at night even if they show the IDs.
Frustrations
A spot check in various villages that are major fishing destinations in Lamu County indicated that well known fishing cooperative societies were underperforming or had shut down.
Fishing cooperative societies such as Kiunga, Ishakani, Madina and Kiangwe were closed down about three years ago after society members were frustrated by the dwindling sector.
Mr Ahmed Islam, the chairman of the Ishakani Fishing Cooperative Society, told the Business Daily on Sunday that their society collapsed in 2016 after almost 70 percent of the members were forced to quit the trade following the night fishing ban.
Ishakani Village has about 300 residents all of which depend directly on fishing for survival.
Mr Islam says the ban has definitely left many reeling in poverty.
“We used to catch up to five to six tonnes of fish in just one night. Our cooperative society here was doing very well. Since the ban was imposed, it has become difficult to catch even one tone of fish during day time here.
"Our fishing cooperative was closed almost four years ago. Most fishermen have been unable to cope with day time fishing and have opted to quit the trade,” said Mr Islam.
Closing down
At Kiunga Village, their only fishing cooperative is nearly closing down.
Mr Mohamed Bahero, an elder and a veteran fisherman says the night ban is responsible for the decline of the once vibrant sector that currently lies at only 25 percent or even below its capacity.
Mr Bahero says many fish are caught at night than during the day and the ban had greatly affected the fisher folk.
He said he is worried that the Kiunga Fishing Cooperative Society, which is the oldest in the region, might also be closed in coming years.
For the past eight years, the society has been doing badly.
Mr Bahero questioned why the ban was still in place when the government had assured that security in the county had been restored.
He urged the government to speed up processes to have the ban lifted to allow the resumption of normal business
“As fishermen here, we feel short-changed and lied to by the national government in the first place. They announced that the ban was lifted but in real sense, the ban still exists.
"No one is allowed to venture at sea at night. We’re wondering why the situation is so? The government should come clean and explain. Most of us have quit fishing.
"Our cooperative societies here are really struggling to survive and if things continue to be like that they will be closed completely. The government should lift the ban,” said Mr Bahero.
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