Enabling Sustainable Exploitation of Kenya’s Artisanal Tuna Fishery: Research Highlights and Key Recommendations. KMFRI Policy Brief Coastal Tunas August 2022

Abstract

Tuna and tuna-like species play a vital role to the food security and livelihoods of coastal communities in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The tuna fishery in the region is becoming increasingly important as coastal nations attempt to expand the small-scale fishery into offshore ranges. This is more so because small-scale tuna fisheries produce the bulk of fresh tuna that is supplied to local markets demonstrating their importance in supporting food security and local livelihoods. The fisheries exploit a number of economically important species including Yellowfin tuna (YFT) Thunnus albacares, Bigeye tuna (BET) Thunnus obesus, skipjack tuna (SJT)(Katsuwonus pelamis), Kawakawa (KAW) (Euthynnus affinis), Frigate tuna (FRI) (Auxis thazard), Narrow barred Spanish mackerel (COM) (Scomberomorus commerson) and Wahoo (Acanthocyblum solandri) using diverse gear types including trolling, set gillnets, drift nets, hand lines and ringnets. The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is the regional fisheries management organization that oversees the management of tuna and tuna-like species. Some of the species in the IOTC area of competence such as the yellowfin tuna (YFT) and Spanish mackerel (COM) are currently reported as overfished and subject to overfishing; hence the need to closely monitor and assess the status of exploitation at national scales. Accurate estimation of total catch production and status of tuna fisheries in Kenya has been challenging due to lack of species-disaggregated catch data and information in sufficient spatial and temporal scales. This policy brief provides a summary of research initiatives by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute with the support of donor partners towards addressing information gaps on the small-scale tuna fishery and highlights key recommendations for improvement.