Noticias

Fuente: The Star

For decades, preserving their surplus catch has been a huge challenge for Lamu fishermen.

Now the county has built the region's first fish processing plant which will handle surplus production, especially tuna.

There are more than 6,000 fishermen in Lamu.

The plant, which cost Sh16 million, was built by the county government and the World-Wide Fund for Nature.

It is located at the Lamu Fisheries offices near Shella beach town, Lamu island.

Speaking in Lamu town on Friday, Fisheries officer Simon Komu said operations will begin before June.

He said the plant will offer a ready market for fishermen in Lamu and the entire coastal region.

Once operationalised, the plant will preserve, process and export fish from Lamu to local and international markets, giving a huge boost to the local fishing industry.

Komu said the objective of the facility is to boost fish production, reduce wastage and boost fish supplies and circulation of money in the domestic economy.

“Construction works started in late 2019. Through the Agricultural Sector Development Programme, we want to have tonnes of fish preserved at the plant and at the same time add value to the fish through processing. We are set to commission the plant in early June this year,” he said.

WWF-Kenya marine programme coordinator Lily Dali Mwasi said the plant will have the capacity to preserve and process at least 10 tonnes of fish at any given time.

WWF-Kenya channelled more than Sh2 million into equipping the plant.

Mwasi said fishermen had been taken through rigorous training on financial management in readiness for the fish value addition business.

“Together with the county government and the various BMUs, particularly Shella and Amu, we were able to support the construction of the fish preservation and processing facility. We installed cold storage equipment, solar panels and other crucial items. We are looking forward to the launch of the facility. It is complete,” she said.

Lamu Beach Management Unit chairperson Abubakar Twalib said the plant is timely as it comes at a time when fishermen have registered increased Tuna fish harvest, tonnes of which goes to waste for lack of a market and storage facilities.

“We are bringing in tonnes of tuna but we do not have ways to properly store it so we discard quite a huge chunk after it rots. This plant will help us make maximum profits from this venture,” he said.

Consequently, middlemen have been exploiting the fishermen.

"We had situation where we sold our fish for any amount just because we did not want it going stale on us. The losses were painful,” Twalib said.

Fishing is among the major income generators for Lamu county.

Major fishing hubs include Faza, Ishakani, Kipungani, Kiunga, Kiwayu, Kizingitini, Lamu Island, Matondoni, Mkokoni, Ndau, Pate and Shella.

Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya

Fuente: The Star

For decades, preserving their surplus catch has been a huge challenge for Lamu fishermen.

Now the county has built the region's first fish processing plant which will handle surplus production, especially tuna.

There are more than 6,000 fishermen in Lamu.

The plant, which cost Sh16 million, was built by the county government and the World-Wide Fund for Nature.

It is located at the Lamu Fisheries offices near Shella beach town, Lamu island.

Speaking in Lamu town on Friday, Fisheries officer Simon Komu said operations will begin before June.

He said the plant will offer a ready market for fishermen in Lamu and the entire coastal region.

Once operationalised, the plant will preserve, process and export fish from Lamu to local and international markets, giving a huge boost to the local fishing industry.

Komu said the objective of the facility is to boost fish production, reduce wastage and boost fish supplies and circulation of money in the domestic economy.

“Construction works started in late 2019. Through the Agricultural Sector Development Programme, we want to have tonnes of fish preserved at the plant and at the same time add value to the fish through processing. We are set to commission the plant in early June this year,” he said.

WWF-Kenya marine programme coordinator Lily Dali Mwasi said the plant will have the capacity to preserve and process at least 10 tonnes of fish at any given time.

WWF-Kenya channelled more than Sh2 million into equipping the plant.

Mwasi said fishermen had been taken through rigorous training on financial management in readiness for the fish value addition business.

“Together with the county government and the various BMUs, particularly Shella and Amu, we were able to support the construction of the fish preservation and processing facility. We installed cold storage equipment, solar panels and other crucial items. We are looking forward to the launch of the facility. It is complete,” she said.

Lamu Beach Management Unit chairperson Abubakar Twalib said the plant is timely as it comes at a time when fishermen have registered increased Tuna fish harvest, tonnes of which goes to waste for lack of a market and storage facilities.

“We are bringing in tonnes of tuna but we do not have ways to properly store it so we discard quite a huge chunk after it rots. This plant will help us make maximum profits from this venture,” he said.

Consequently, middlemen have been exploiting the fishermen.

"We had situation where we sold our fish for any amount just because we did not want it going stale on us. The losses were painful,” Twalib said.

Fishing is among the major income generators for Lamu county.

Major fishing hubs include Faza, Ishakani, Kipungani, Kiunga, Kiwayu, Kizingitini, Lamu Island, Matondoni, Mkokoni, Ndau, Pate and Shella.

Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya