2050 there will be more plastic in the world’s oceans than fish - a concern for the industry.

Serious concern for the Kenya to challenge the usage of plastic. In Kenya, plastic bags were banned.

The rapid growth of the use and disposal of plastic materials has proved to be a challenge for solid waste management systems with impacts on our environment and ocean.

Kenya is now the ninth African country that has banned the use of plastic bags in stores and households.

It is reported by the Associated Press, the banned was also begin introduced in Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mauritania and Malawi. In many industrialised countries, the use of plastic bags was banned even earlier.

According to the United Nations Environment Program, only in Kenya, which introduces a ban on the use of plastic in households from September 15, 2017, 100 million such packages are issued in stores every year, which subsequently become one of the important pollutants of nature.

Total in the world ocean, according to the UN, annually falls to 8 million tons of polyethylene products, which lead to environmental pollution and the mass death of fish, birds and mammals.

While maintaining the current rate of environmental pollution with plastic bags, according to the UN, in 2050 there will be more plastic in the world’s oceans than fish.

The recycling and the circular economy have been touted as potential solutions, upward of half of the plastic waste intended for recycling has been exported to hundreds of countries around the world. China, which has imported a cumulative 45% of plastic waste since 1992, recently implemented a new policy banning the importation of most plastic waste, begging the question of where the plastic waste will go now.

Sending plastic to China on a container ship is no longer an option for kenya. The East African plastic manufacturers has step-up and now is to recycling after China has imposed the ban.

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Kenya fish exports set for EU test and EU import guidance

Kenyan fish exports will soon have to go through the Kenya Accreditation Service (Kenas) before being transported overseas, stated Kensas chairperson Marion Mutugi


Fish produced in the country will need to be given the go-ahead by the Kenya Accreditation Service (Kenas) for it to be allowed for export to meet global quality standards.

Kenas will also certify fishing vessels, methods of fishing and processing details to eradicate illegal fishing practices.

An EU guideline, established four years ago, requires imported seafood to be accompanied by a 'catch certificate' from a competent authority to help curb illegal fishing, especially in the Indian Ocean waters.

Safety concerns have emerged in the European market after the discovery of toxic mercury in Kenyan fish.

Mutugi said the agency was working towards improving the quality of fish and flower exports through accreditation services.

“We shall conduct tests and offer accreditation services to the conformity assessment bodies (CABs) in these sectors so as to prevent any future loss,” Mutugi stated.

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Here are useful EU import guidance:

1. https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/sites/fisheries/files/docs/body/eu-new-fish-and-aquaculture-consumer-labels-pocket-guide_en.pdf



2. https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/safety/docs/ia_trade_import-cond-fish_en.pdf



3. http://www.seafish.org/industry-support/legislation/import-and-export/import-guidance



4. http://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Exporters/Exporting_Better/Quality_Management/Redesign/EQB84_Rev%201_eng_Exporting%20Seafood%20to%20the%20EU_FINAL_11.08_Blaha.pdf

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Kenya fisheries has huge untapped potential

Kenya is losing an estimated Sh10 billion annually due to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in its territorial waters, according to the government.

According to the government, the Kenya Indian Ocean produces only 5 per cent of the 174,000 metric toners of the fish produced in the country.

Kenya coastline has a potential of producing Sh200 billion fish products, but local fishermen have not been able to fully exploit the blue-economy, Njaramba says.

In the Word, China is the world supplier of fish product with a net worth of Sh14.1 trillion, followed by Vietnam (Sh580 billion), USA Sh 510 billion), and India (Sh460 billion) annually.

Njaramba says Kenya has a potential of being in the same league with China, Indonesia, Chile and Vietnam, who are among the biggest fish product suppliers of the world.

Mercy Mghanga, the vice chairperson of the Mombasa Beach Management Unit, said the boat has improved the fishing industry since the launch of MV 001.

She says the only challenge left now is to increase storage capacity for the fish to supply a bigger market and promote employment.

“We want the storage capacity to be increased to supply a bigger market,” she says.

Njaramba says the county has already identified eight places where they will build storage facilities for local fishermen.

“The eight places are fish landing sites. We will build storage facilities for our fishermen to store their products,” he says.

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Kenya is earning more from fish exports than imports but the high volumes shipped in from China are still a concern

Fishmongers have decried the increasing number of cheap imports which they say affect sales.

Earnings from Kenya's fish exports in the last three years were higher compared to imports despite an outcry over foreign sea food flooding the local market.

According to data from the Department of Fisheries, the country earned Sh8.5 billion ($83.8 million) from selling abroad, which was higher than the Sh4.03 billion ($39.7 million) paid for imports in the period under review.

The department attributed the high export earnings to the high value that Kenya’s fish earned in the world market.

Export volumes in the last three years stood at 16,429 tonnes compared with 40,991 tonnes imported in the same period.

Cheap imports
Fishmongers have decried the increasing number of cheap imports mainly from China, which they say affect sales as they cannot compete with the local catch, which are expensive.

For instance, Tilapia from China trades at Sh150 to Sh300 a kg , while the Kenyan variety goes for Sh400. Nile Perch (Mbuta) fetches Sh320 a kg.

The government has however maintained that Kenya will continue importing fish to meet the widening deficit, due to dwindling stocks both in the aquatic and marine space. Kenya has an annual deficit of 800,000 tonnes, which is filled through imports.

It added that measures are ongoing to restock Lake Victoria, a major source of fish in the country, which is currently suffering from depleted stock.

Kenya mainly imports frozen tilapia, frozen mackerels, sardines, prawns and salmons among others whereas it exports frozen Nile Perch, tuna, octopus, frozen whole tilapia and lobsters caught in the lakes and the Indian Ocean notably to the EU.

The country has a large exclusive fishing zone with potential to produce 300,000 tonnes of fish annually estimated at about Sh75 billion. However, it is yet to optimally utilise the opportunity.

By fmg newz

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Case Study: Kenyan Fish Exports - AgEcon Search

Food safety and quality have become increasingly important in international fish trade. Stringent conditions imposed by major fish-importing nations in the developed world, which take in 80 percent of global fish exports, give food safety priority over price as the main determinant for market access. Nearly half of fish exports originate from developing countries, which have limited capacity to invest in the rigorous fish safety measures demanded by importing countries.

Read full - Case study

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