In Kenya, coastal fishermen use data to manage dwindling catches

Along Kenya’s coast, small-scale fishers are using digital catch data to confront declining stocks, a locally led effort gaining attention as the country hosts a major oceans conference focused on sustainable fishing.

In Kwale and Kilifi counties, Beach Management Units (BMUs) supported by Coastal and Marine Resource Development (COMRED) have been recording fish landings since 2022, tracking species, size and volume to better understand pressure on marine resources. Twelve BMUs now collect data four days a week, reaching more than 1,000 fishers.

At landing sites near Mombasa, BMU officials log catches on mobile phones as fishers return from sea, weighing octopus and other species before feeding the information into a shared system. The data is then reviewed in regular community meetings.

"Through that data, we were able to come up with a management plan… if the BMU closes that place for three months, fishermen will find well-grown octopuses and earn better income," said BMU official Hassan Mwashee.

Early findings point to declining stocks, prompting communities to consider restrictions such as temporary fishing closures and tighter enforcement against illegal gear.

Fisher Faki Abdallah said data collection was helping curb destructive practices, including the use of spearguns, by linking compliance to better market value.

COMRED Executive Director Patrick Kimani said the approach was shifting decision-making power to local communities, though not without tensions.

Quarterly feedback meetings have become forums where conservation concerns collide with daily survival, forcing fishers to weigh immediate income against long-term sustainability.

Kenya is hosting the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa this week, becoming the first African country to hold the annual gathering which brings together governments, scientists, businesses and civil society to advance commitments on marine protection and sustainable fisheries. The three-day conference, running June 16-18, is themed "Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future."

The conference comes as global targets to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030 remain off track, with advocates warning that too many conservation commitments exist only on paper. Mombasa's selection as host city underscores the growing weight of African voices in ocean governance, as coastal communities across the continent face mounting pressure from overfishing, climate change and pollution.

-Production: Dicksy O'Biero, Mukelwa Hlatshwayo/Reuters