• Interior CS Fred Matiang’ lifted the ban in March.
• The chairperson of the Lamu Fishermen and Beach Management Units Mohamed Somo said the sector had grown by over 40 per cent.
The fishing industry in Lamu has grown tremendously since a night fishing ban was lifted seven months ago.
The Lamu Fishermen and Beach Management Units chairman Mohamed Somo said the fishing sector had grown by over 40 per cent between March and September.
He attributed the good returns to the lifting of the night ban.
Speaking in Lamu on Tuesday, Somo said the night fishing ban had reduced the number of fishermen by more than half.
“The 40 per cent growth is in terms of the returns and the general condition of the trade. The number of fishermen has increased too,” Somo said.
The fishermen are hopeful that the sector will do even better if the government does not impose any more restrictions on them.
A night fishing ban was introduced in 2011 following a spate al Shabaab raids in which the militants kidnapped tourists and fishermen and held them hostage in Somalia.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i lifted the ban in March when he toured Lamu.
The announcement was a relief for the thousands of fishermen from Kiunga, Ishakani, Mkokoni, Kiwayu, Madina and Kiangwe which are major fishing zones.
The over 6,000 fishermen of Lamu are however required to register electronically with security agencies for easy tracking while at sea.
They have appealed to the county and national governments to improve fish landing sites in the region.
They lauded ongoing campaigns aimed at promoting the welfare of fishermen in Lamu.
Recently, fishermen from Kiunga, Kiwayu and Mkokoni were accorded the Mvuvi Card, a special identification document that enables them to conduct their activities without harassment.
The microchip card contains identifying information of the holder including their ID number, special serial number and their respective BMUs.
The microchip also enables security personnel to monitor movements of each fisherman on the Indian Ocean.
(edited by O. Owino)