Lamu takes possession of grabbed fish landing sites

 

Lamu county is repossessing all grabbed fish landing sites in the region.

Deputy Governor Abdulhakim Aboud said on Wednesday all sites will be reclaimed, title deeds issued and the land gazetted.

Speaking in Lamu, Aboud said his office was working closely with the Ministry of Lands and the survey of all fishing landing sites has been completed. The processing of title deeds is next.

Aboud is also the county executive for fisheries.

Lamu has 40 fish landing sites and none of them has a title deed, making it hard to keep land grabbers and private developers away.

Fishermen frequently complain the lack of well-defined fish landing sites is the major reason the sector hasn't grown as required.

The deputy governor said his office wrote to the task force appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to deal with the countrywide problem of grabbed fishing landing sites.

In 2018, the President directed that all gazetted fish landing sites be issued with title deeds.

“They visited Lamu last month and surveyed all landing sites. A report has been presented to Lands PS Nicholas Muraguri." 

Having well-defined fish landing sites is the only way to expand the struggling fish sector, he said.

He said the county had allocated enough resources to the improvement of the landing sites, including the construction of cooler shades in Kui, Kiwayu, Mtangawanda, Ndununi, Kipungani and Kizuke.

The county has also put up a boatyard for fishermen at Kizingitini. The Covid-19 pandemic had slowed the work but it's picking up, the deputy governor said.

County fisheries officer Simon Komu said they were seeking other domestic and foreign markets for Lamu fishermen.

He said they were advertising online to link fishermen to international markets.

“The county wants an established fish market and improved export business. We are empowering and encouraging fishermen to undertake entrepreneurial fishing so the sector gains international recognition," Komu said.

He cited the lack of proper documentation for the landing sites as the major hurdle facing the sector.

More than 6,000 fishermen are spread across the Lamu archipelago.

The sector has suffered major setbacks mostly caused by al Shabaab terror attacks, a resulting curfew and the Covid-19 pandemic.

A night fishing ban introduced in 2011 due to terrorism almost crippled the sector but was lifted in May 2019 by Interior CS Fred Matiang'i.   BY THE STAR