A series of new rules with heavy fines have been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Kenya and will be enforced by the coastal maritime authorities.
All this to safeguard marine life and the survival of corals and species in danger of disappearing.
Anyone caught picking up shells and corals, even dead ones, on the shores of the Indian Ocean and along the reef will be liable to a fine that may vary from a minimum of Kes. 50,000 (about 500 euros) in Kes. 1,000,000 (about 10,000 euros) and up to one year imprisonment.
Clearly, the new rules have not been issued ad hoc for tourists, but especially for the local population: in fact, the main points concern fishing (two years in prison or 2 million fine to those who will use trawls), boats (even canoes will have to be registered) and how to fish crustaceans. The new rules also prohibit the use of mechanical means to extract oysters from their natural environments, which are almost always aquatic mangrove forests.
The policy of the Ministry of Agriculture aims to address challenges in the fisheries sub-sector, such as low investment in deep-sea fishing, inadequate labour and skills in the sub-sector, inadequate fishing, monitoring, control and surveillance.
"No one may use a fishing vessel in Kenyan marine waters or the operator of a fishing vessel operating outside those waters, use large driftnets" cites the project in part.
The new rules also take account of aquariums: anyone who owns one will have to report from the outset what is inside and will have to keep a record of any additions of species, changes and causes of death of fish contained within.