Status of Marine and Fisheries Resources of main Fishing Grounds Kilifi District, Kenya.

Abstract

Kenya's coastal erosion supports productive marine fisheries that potentially range between 150,000 to 30,000 metric tons per year, and therefore capable to supply subsistence protein for local communities consumption and significantly support economic development of the nation. Over the decades, poor fisheries governance and management-in large part due to open access nature of fisheries, over exploitation and use of destructive fishing methods-have led to marked declines in reef-associated fisheries landing. Cast-Kenya is a community-based organization established to implement a project focusing on conservation of coastal and marine fishery resources and development of artisanal fishery in Kilifi district. Recently, CAST partnered with KMFRI, marine and ecological research department. to continue establish quantitative baseline Information for main fishing grounds and document the general status of marine and fisheries resources in Kilifi area. The objective of the field ecological survey of some of the traditional fishing grounds in Kilifi was therefore to rapidly establish the ecological and resource base status such as fish and benthic reef communities. Site-specific data on abundance and distribution of fish resources and benthic reef communities are key Inputs to raising awareness among stakeholders Including fishing communities and to implementing effective and sustainable use of marine resources.. The results of this study point towards the unsustainable nature of resource exploitation in these fishing grounds and provide empirical evidence in support for effective fisheries management responses that will result to sustainable fisheries. It also highlights the great potential of involving the local resource users in gathering data on status of reefs upon whim the fishery depends, while promoting education and awareness towards improved livelihoods and sustainable use of marine natural resources. Fish community was characterized by low density and dominated by small-sized «2Ocm), with few commercially important fish groups (snappers, surgeonfish, emperors, parrotfish). Overall fish abundance in the studied reefs was explained predominantly by the large number of small-bodied wrasses and damsels. Large commercially important species such as groupers were virtually absent and a few of snappers and goatfish were small sized. Invertebrate community was dominated by few species links to overfishing. The echinometra mathaei and Tripneustes gratilla were the most abundant and most widely distributed motile invertebrate species observed. Their high abundance is most likely a result of trophic cascades related to overfishing of predatory. Extreme low densities of commercial important macro-invertebrate groups, such as sea cucumber, octopus, and shells were observed. Benthic community on the fishing grounds was dominated by algae turf, fleshy algae and rubble linked to overfishing and coral breakages by spear fishers as well as coral bleaching impacts. Given the low abundance of important fish resources in the near shore fishing grounds, as well as their poor benthic status, several management recommendations are proposed that can safeguard artisanal fisheries and achieve meeting its conservation and sustainable development.