DIVERSIFYING LIVELIHOODS: FISHERS AND SEAWEED FARMERS OF KWALE COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The coastal marine fishing communities of Kenya have been reliant on fishing for their economic sustenance for countless generations. This occupation, passed down through the ages, has provided livelihoods for thousands of small-scale fishermen, as well as those engaged in various ancillary activities such as fish trading, processing, transportation, net crafting, and boat construction. However, recent years have witnessed a decline in fish catches, primarily attributed to the deterioration of mangrove habitats. This decline is exacerbated by practices like destructive fishing methods. Additional factors contributing to this decline encompass unregulated harvesting, coral reef degradation due to pollution from inadequate sewage systems, the use of damaging fishing apparatus, fish poisoning, and overfishing.