Turkana: The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation has engaged the County Government of Turkana, alongside the Beach Management Units (BMUs) in Kalokol, to discuss the Fisheries Management and Development Bill.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Assembly’s Bill No. 29 of 2023 aims to establish a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the management, development, exploitation, utilization, and conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources in Kenya. The Departmental Committee on Blue Economy visited Turkana County on Friday for consultations with key stakeholders, including the county government, BMUs, conservation organizations, and aquaculture investors, in accordance with Article 10 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
The Members of Parliament for Mwingi North, Paul Nzengu Musyimi, and George Gachagua for Ndaragwa, led the consultations in Kalokol, Turkana Central. Musyimi assured stakeholders that their contributions would be considered in the final Bill, emphasizing that citizen involvement in the legislative process strengthens and deepens good governance.
The National Assembly Bill’s key components include the establishment of the Kenya Fisheries Service, management of fisheries resources, aquaculture development, institutional framework, conservation and prevention measures, enforcement, monitoring control and surveillance, and public participation.
Deputy County Secretary Dr. Albert Gamoe, who led the county team, expressed satisfaction with the engagement, noting that the views voiced by the county government and BMUs as key stakeholders should be considered once the Bill is published. However, Dr. Gamoe raised concerns about the composition of the membership of both the Kenya Fisheries Council and the Fisheries Marketing Authority, which he deemed unfairly proposed.
Dr. Gamoe suggested increasing membership for fair representation of blue economy-based counties, expressing that most key institutions for fisheries are based in Nairobi. He proposed decentralizing the Kenya Fisheries Council and Marketing Authority to counties with blue economy resources like Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Turkana, given their significant contribution to the sector.
County Chief Officer for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Peter Ikaru, echoed Dr. Gamoe’s concerns, emphasizing that the proposed Bill should clearly define the roles played by both national and county governments in fisheries management to avoid duplication. He also stressed that stakeholder engagement should encompass aquaculture investments and the entire fish value chain from production to marketing.
Stephen Ekuwom, the county chair of all BMUs in Turkana, proposed the inclusion of a stipend in the draft Bill to motivate BMU management across all blue economy counties. He highlighted the need to streamline the licensing function, noting that currently, members pay for licenses from both national and county governments.
Leah Ewoi of Kalokol Fishing Organization urged the House Committee to ensure the proposed Bill eliminates middlemen and cartels in Turkana’s Fisheries Sector. She advocated for a clause in the law to outlaw the sale and purchase of illegal fishing gear to protect local traders in the value chain.
The BMUs involved in the consultative forum included Impreza, Naremit, Kangoleita, Loroo, Natirae, Daraja, and Ekoyem.
