This archive report was first published on 25 August 2021.
Kenya is taking steps to develop its Blue Economy through job creation, with a focus on training local youths to work on foreign trawlers and vessels operating within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
As of August 25, 2021, the country had partnered with a Namibian company to train the first batch of 400 youths in deep sea operations, using two of their flagged vessels and the Bandari Maritime Academy.
Currently, foreign vessels and trawlers fishing in Kenya's EEZ employ foreigners, including Sierra Leoneans, due to a lack of local expertise in deep sea fishing.
According to Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, the trained youths will be employed by foreign vessels fishing within Kenya's waters, and will be trained in fishing, safety, and security of the sea.
Kenya's annual fish production stands at 160,000 tonnes, far below the country's potential of 300,000 tonnes annually, according to statistics from the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute.
The refurbished Liwatoni Fishing Port is set to become the first Kenyan fishing port, offering state-of-the-art facilities, including a first-class fisheries jetty, cold storage, and fish processing facilities.
