Kemfri to Increase Coast Fishing Spots

This follows the recent upgrading of the satellite station - e-Station at the Kemfri headquarters under the African Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable Development project, reports TheStar.

The satellite images will help map out the potential fishing zones and monitor sea surface temperatures, chlorophyll and other oceanographic variables.

"We shall be releasing satellite information on potential fishing zones to the fishermen on a regular basis, said Michael Nguli, Kemfris research scientist and AMESD project coordinator. He was speaking during a workshop in Mombasa.

Kemfri corporate affairs manager Salesio Mbogo yesterday told the Star fishermen on the coastline should brace themselves for better catch. Fishermen need this information to make their work easier, he said, adding that Kenya needs to exploit its marine resources including fish. Nguli said the fishermen need the information to overcome the challenge of locating and catching fish.

We plan to provide them with potential fishing zone charts showing temperature fronts to help reduce search time for fish and increase the catch per unit effort, Mr Nguli said. He said this will especially help in catching Tuna, whose migration is determined by temperature changes. However, Kemfri research scientist Emmanuel Mbaru urged the fishermen to give feedback on the catches to validate the information.

Meanwhile, Somalia, which has huge unexploited fisheries stocks on its Indian Ocean coastline waters, is expected to start collecting and remitting its fisheries data soon. Hassan Haji Ibrahim, a delegate from Somalia, said the improving security situation in the country means data can now be collected and disseminated.