Harnessing Kenya’s Blue Economy: prospects and challenges

Abstract

Kenya enjoys a marine coastline of about 640 km giving a total area of territorial waters of 9700 km2 while the EEZ is 142,400 km2. She further lays claim to an extended EEZ of approximately 103,320 km2 and has 13,600 km2 of inland waters. The government recognizes the potential of this maritime resource to boost the country’s economic outlook and has made Blue Economy (BE) part of the economic pillar in its development blueprint. For effective development of the BE, Kenya needs, among other things, to: build human resource capacity through investing in marine education and training; boost marine scientific research; support the traditional industries of fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, blue biotechnology, ports and shipping; develop BE database; resolve outstanding boundary disputes; and reduce illegal unreported and unregulated fishing. The study posits that Kenya already has sector-wise experiences and assets as demonstrated by the numerous government institutions participating in the BE and is only lacking policy integration, coordination and coherence.