{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=155124","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=155122","results":[{"id":1569422,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569422/?format=json","text_counter":377,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Marakwet East, UDA","speaker_title":"Hon. Kangogo Bowen","speaker":null,"content":"The Committee further observed that Kenya must regularly notify the WTO Fisheries Subsidies to facilitate surveillance of implementation, effective stock assessment, and related programmes, which would be key to fulfilling this obligation. Additionally, the Committee noted that the Agreement does not allow State parties to enter reservations. However, Article 9(4) of the Treaty provides for a comprehensive review after five years. If there are some reservations from a country, after every five years, they meet to conduct a review. These reviews could result in an amendment based on a practical implementation experience. This is a Treaty of fisheries subsidies. Kenya is still new in this economic front of the blue economy. Many countries are ahead by years. They get most of their revenue through fishing. This is a subsidy Treaty which countries sign to make sure that those who come in to fish in their country and those who have the capacity to do deep sea fishing, are regulated. It also provides for some subsidies so that, as a country, if we have to tap our resources in the deep sea, we provide subsidies through taxation to those who want to invest. So, this is just a regulatory Treaty. It has been signed by many countries and especially, those that border the Indian Ocean and other coastal lines. That is why we need to ratify the Treaty as provided for under Article 2(6) of the Constitution. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Members of the Committee because when we received the Treaty, we sat and carried out a public participation with stakeholders. The Attorney-General's Office told us the implication of the Treaty from a legal perspective. They told us how it will affect our existing laws. They appeared before us because we already have some other laws like the Kenya Fisheries Act of 2016. We also have the Tuna Commission which we signed. The Attorney-General told the Committee that signing the Treaty will improve our fishing and it is not going to conflict with our existing laws in any way. We also had a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs because the Treaty touches on other countries. The Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry also appeared before the Committee and made submissions, and they were all in agreement. Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is the duty of this House to approve the Treaty so that Kenya can benefit from it. I appreciate my colleagues, Members of the Departmental Committee on the Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation who participated in the writing of this Report. I also thank the Clerks attached to the Committee. They supported us in the drafts of this Motion and were with us throughout; taking notes from all the stakeholders. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move this Motion. I ask Hon. Muthoni, the Member for Meru County, to second. Thank you."},{"id":1569423,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569423/?format=json","text_counter":378,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Martha Wangari","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Hon. Dorothy."},{"id":1569424,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569424/?format=json","text_counter":379,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon Dorothy Muthoni","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Nominated, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Fish farming is a major economic activity. That is why this Agreement seeks to balance the livelihoods of fishing communities with the need to maintain marine health. It also aims at The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."},{"id":1569425,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569425/?format=json","text_counter":380,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon Dorothy Muthoni","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"preventing market distortion by prohibiting subsidies that provide unfair competitive advantages. Specifically, the Agreement bans subsidies for vessels engaged in illegal fishing. Illegal and unreported fishing is a major source of unaccounted for revenue. This is the more reason why we should be part of this Agreement so that we can monitor fishing activities in our waters and also be able to target the overfished stocks. It is important for us to note that countries that invest in fishing normally undertake stock taking of fish so that they can to know when their stocks are overfished. It is also equally important that we have this Agreement so that we can, at any one time, monitor the vessels that fish in our deep seas. It is, therefore, very important that I urge this House to join us in ensuring that we all join in the ratification of this Agreement on Fishery Subsidies. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to second."},{"id":1569426,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569426/?format=json","text_counter":381,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Question proposed)"},{"id":1569427,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569427/?format=json","text_counter":382,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Martha Wangari","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" We shall start with Hon. Dekow. If he is not in the House, let us have Hon. Nyikal."},{"id":1569428,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569428/?format=json","text_counter":383,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Seme, ODM","speaker_title":"Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal","speaker":null,"content":" Thank you. Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Motion. This report should be adopted basically for three simple reasons. One, our Constitution obliges us that once we are involved in an international treaty, it must be part of our laws. Therefore, it is important to ratify it. Two, this seems to be more on deep sea fishing. I know that this is an area that is dominated by foreigners. Actually, there is a lot of infringement of our local waters in the pretext that it is actually international waters. If we do not look at these areas and make sure that local fishermen who venture into deep sea fishing are protected, they will actually be exploited by foreigners. Moreover, these people are very sophisticated while our fishermen do not use sophisticated equipment as the foreigners. Therefore, if there is need for them to be subsidised within the confines of the Treaty, we should support that. The third reason is that it gives me an opportunity to address the Chairperson of this Department Committee. Locally, in the inland lakes, we actually have a much bigger need and our blue economy is addressing this by trying to improve the fishing, improve the gear that we use, and trying to support our people. The fish stocks are dwindling. The fishing gears that are used are actually deleterious to the fish stocks, so, they literally catch everything. This is a big problem, particularly in Lake Victoria. There are a lot of clashes with our neighbours, particularly Uganda and, to some extent, Tanzania. Many fishermen are often arrested and their fishing gears are confiscated and destroyed. So, as we protect deep-sea fishing and international waters, we must also look at local fishing."},{"id":1569429,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569429/?format=json","text_counter":384,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Seme, ODM","speaker_title":"Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal","speaker":null,"content":"The second point is that fish farming, particularly in the lake, is an area with big potential that can be exploited. We need to look at how to protect fish farmers and give them subsidies. Fortunately, this Treaty deals with deep-sea fishing, which means we can support and subsidise our local fish farming. We are likely to get more output from our lakes than from the deep sea. So, as we protect deep-sea fishing through this international Treaty, let us also look at what is happening locally. I do not know what is meant by deep sea. Does Lake Victoria, for example, which is shared by three countries, qualify under this Treaty? If it does, then that is the more reason we should sign the Treaty to protect local fishermen."},{"id":1569430,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569430/?format=json","text_counter":385,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Seme, ODM","speaker_title":"Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal","speaker":null,"content":"With those remarks, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support."},{"id":1569431,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569431/?format=json","text_counter":386,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Martha Wangari","speaker_title":"The Temporary Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Hon. Owen Baya."}]}