Assessment of the Influence of Beach Management Units on Fisheries Governance in Migingo Island, Kenya

Abstract

Beach Management Units in Kenya were established to ensure that fisheries resource are better and sustainably managed and utilized. This was to be achieved by seeking the community‟s participation to aid in the implementation of fisheries regulations and rules. Sustainable fisheries management by the BMUs has however not been realized, years after the institution‟s inception. The study set out to assess the operations of BMUs, as a co management institution, in the governance of fisheries resource in Kenya. Specifically it aimed at; analyzing the community‟s participation in the management of BMUs; establishing how management of BMUs affects the implementation of the regulations and assessing the implementation of regulations with regards to fish stocks. The study was done in Migingo Island located in Lake Victoria, at the border of Kenya and Uganda. Data was collected from BMU committee members and stakeholders at the fish landing site along the island‟s shores. Data was collected from BMU committee members and major stakeholders through the use of questionnaires and semi structured interviews. Data analysis involving both inferential and descriptive analyses such as cross tabulations, chi square goodness of fit and percentage distribution techniques was performed. Results point out that the three out of seven functions were performed satisfactorily by the Migingo BMU. These were; collection of revenues, confiscation of illegal gears and arrest of offenders. The performance of conducting meetings, patrol of the lake, formulation of bylaws and keeping of inventories were unsatisfactory. It was reported that Migingo‟s BMU structure comprised of a committee and lacked an assembly. The representation of BMU committee was dominated by the boat owners while fishermen and women were low in numbers. Implementation of regulations by the BMU faced various challenges such as lack of support from the government, inadequate capacity and inadequate knowledge to operate its functions. These challenges, along with inadequate funds and equipment, hindered the effective implementation of regulations. It was noted that community‟s participation aids in the management of BMUs however their opinion during decision making are rarely sought after and they could hardly access information concerning the BMU, mostly through word of mouth. It was also reported that fish catches from the lake had decreased and the number of fishermen was on the rise. This study shows that the BMUs are viable institutions but operations are unsustainable due to their weak structure, limited support from government and inadequate resources. Capacity building is needed on the BMUs operations, provision of relevant skills, equipment and funds and improved support from the government for the BMU to be sustainable.