Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has formed a 12-member task force to review the Fisheries Management and Development (Aquaculture) regulations 2024 .
This comes following a decision by the High Court to suspend the regulations that were to take effect on January 1, 2025.
A constitutional petition was filed by the Lake Victoria Aquaculture Association, which argued that the regulations introduced punitive licensing fees and an ad valorem levy on fish landed, measures deemed unconstitutional and detrimental to the growth of Kenya’s aquaculture industry.
The task force comprises representatives from the ministry, the Council of Governors, the Lake Victoria Aquaculture Association, and other key sector players.
Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Wala Joseph will lead the government representatives in the team, which also includes assistant directors of fisheries Roy Aseka and John Kwanya, and legal counsel Leonard Bett.
Industry representatives in the taskforce include LVA board secretary Pete Ondeng, Aquaculture Alliance of Kenya CEO Stanley Mworia, Victory Farms chief development officer Caesar Asiyo, Africa Blue CEO Albert Altena, African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network vice president Suzanne Kuria, Rio Farm Limited CEO Angela Odero, legal and governance advisor Victor Odhiambo and LVA board member Atieno Otieno.
The team will collect views, deliberate on stakeholders’ concerns and derive practical recommendations to resolve the issues that led to the suspension of the regulations by the High Court.
It is expected to deliver actionable recommendations before the court-ordered suspension of the regulations expires on February 10, 2025.
The LVA board chairman Ochieng’ Mbeo lauded Blue Economy CS Joho for establishing the task force, saying it will go a long way in ironing out all the contentious issues raised by stakeholders.
The regulations, which seek to introduce Sh50,000 licensing fee on all aquaculture investments in public waters and a five per cent ad valorem fee on fish landed, Mbeo said were developed and gazzetted without the input of stakeholders.
He said they are encouraged by the decision of the CS to create an opportunity for the voices of the sector’s stakeholders to be heard in policy-making.
LVA board secretary and co-chair of the task force Pete Ondeng called for constructive dialogue to steer the aquaculture sector forward.
Ondeng noted that collaboration
and accountability were critical in
the development of a robust blue
economy sector in the country.
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