Small-Scale Purse Seine Fishery Management Plan, 2025, Legal Notice no. 51 of 2025

This Management Plan, made by the Director-General of the Kenya Fisheries Service, in compliance with the provisions of section 39 (3) of the Fisheries Management and Development Act, provides for: defining a framework for the catch, fishing effort, fishing grounds and trade in small scale purse seine fishery; minimising conflicts through capacity building of resource user organisations, benefits sharing strategies, licensing schemes and environmental management; enhancing research and monitoring to support the implementation of optimum harvest strategies; improving the net income small scale purse seine fisher communities and national revenues through value chain development and improvement; and complying with specified measures for sustainable ecosystem management. The Management Plan defines the following relevant terms: breeding area; by-catch; closed season; pelagic fish; fish landing station; juvenile fish; small scale purse seine net; purse seine fishing vessel; total allowable catch; target species. The Management Plan identifies the geographical area covered by the Plan, and the fish species to which it applies. The Plan specifies: the fishing method applied; the management approach and the management measures including: number of licensed small purse seine fishing vessels, limiting the size of small-scale purse seine fishing vessels, limiting the size of a small-scale purse seine net, restricting the small scale purse seine fishing operation time.
The Management Plan also details the powers and duties of the Director General, including: specifying the total allowable catch for the small scale purse seine fishing operations; implementing guidelines for allocating catch quotas based on the best available scientific evidence; introducing a minimum mesh size and capture size limits for key target species; enforcing regulations on handling and trading of juvenile fish and on capture of endangered species; defining critical fish habitats and limiting fishing activities; establishing mechanisms for monitoring, control and surveillance; minimising post-harvest losses by improving fish handling; supporting formation of marketing associations and cooperatives; promoting public private partnership investments in the value chain; adopting innovative and sustainable fishing technologies for small and medium pelagic fish. Further topics covered by this Management Plan include: implementation of a monitoring and research plan; conflict resolution mechanism; offences.