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{
    "id": 1569433,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569433/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 388,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kilifi North, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Owen Baya",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Anything to do with fisheries touches on the Coast. The coast of Kenya is one of the country’s major fish baskets. For many years, fishermen have been seen as poor. There is kind of a correlation between poverty and fishing. Fishing communities have never come out of the cocoons of poverty because of the fishing regime that exists in this country. A fisherman can be very rich if properly enabled. But without support, they remain artisanal, doing what you might call subsistence fishing. They go out to catch fish for the family and sell a few pieces. The cycle continues in the family: from the grandfather to the father; father to the son; and from son to the grandson. They cannot escape poverty unless they pursue another trade. As a country, we need to change this matrix. It is hurting families that could otherwise, be richer if we gave them proper fishing gear and a proper legal regime. It will shock you that when a fisherman leaves home with his nets and gets to the beach, he is asked by KWS officers, “Do you have a fishing licence from KWS?” This is because KWS has demarcated some places as marine parks. When he finishes answering the question, a person from Kenya Fisheries asks, “Do you have a licence for this net?” When he gets into his canoe to start fishing, somebody from the Kenya Maritime Authority asks, “Do you have a licence for this boat?” Before he goes into water, the Kenya Coast Guard asks, “Who allowed you to come into these waters?” After that, forestry officials ask, “Did you use wood to make this boat and did you have a licence for the tree?” There is a plethora of licences that a fisherman must have. Even the tourist police might come and say, “You are not allowed within these boundaries because there are tourists we must protect.” When he finishes fishing, fisheries officers ask, “Why did you catch this species? Is it illegal to catch it?” Fishermen in this country cannot make money. Fishermen are sleeping hungry yet the ocean is a few metres away. They eat ugali with salt and vegetables while fish is available. Fishing has become nearly impossible because of the existing legal regime. That is the where the problem is."
}