48 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 



Vol. 28, No. 10 



To increase production^ the new firm will 

 introduce modernfishing methods on the coast. 

 It has storage facilities to handle 50 to 60 

 tons of fish a month for local consumption. 

 It will set up buying centers along the coast 

 and small shops in Mombasa. The British 

 company will provide technical and overseas 

 marketing assistance. 



At first, the company plans to concentrate 

 mainly on shrimp and other shellfish for 

 which there are good domestic and foreign 

 markets. Plans are being considered for 

 marketing tuna and marlin, particularly in 

 Japan, and for promoting marine fish sales in 

 inland Kenya. Protective export and import 

 licensing for shellfish has been instituted and 

 the Government may take further action to 

 give the new firm a trade monopoly for cer- 

 tain types of fish to ensure a market and 

 stabilize prices. 



Development of the Fishing Industry: The 

 revised Development Plan (1966-70) calls for 

 total capital expenditure of about $1,467,000 

 for fisheries development and tripled produc- 

 tion- -to reach 60,000 tons a year. Average 

 annual revenue per producer is estimated at 

 about $389 per ton by 1970. 



Expansion of the fishing industry was en- 

 couraged by favorable surveys in 1965 by two 

 United Nations Food and Agricultural Organ- 

 ization teams. The teams investigated long- 

 line fishing and marketing problems and po- 

 tential for a mechanized industry. 



A private Japanese group has looked into 

 investment opportunities. In April 1966, a 

 French expert sent by his Government under 

 its technical aid program, conducted a feasi- 

 bility study. He is studying deep sea fishing 

 and extending the FAO survey to determine 

 profitability and means of financing expan- 

 sion. Also, the East African Marine Research 

 Organization carried out intensive studies of 

 exploitation of fishing on the Northern Kenya 

 Coast. It estimated a potential annual catch 

 worth about $5.6 million. 



Principal problems facing the fishing in- 

 dustry are: inefficient operations, equip- 

 ment, and marketing; limited domestic mar- 

 ket and storage and processing facilities; 

 high prices due to outmoded means of pro- 

 duction; and fishermen's lack of ambition and 

 adherence to old methods. 



Perhaps the biggest obstacle is that most 

 Kenyans do not fish because of tradition, 

 superstition, or the fact that fish are not 

 available in rural areas. To counteract the 

 general reluctance to eat fish and to create 

 an adequate demand for the anticipated in- 

 creased production, the Kenya Government 

 launched an "Eat More Fish" publicity cam- 

 paign costing about $43,400. If successful, 

 this campaign could result in the fishing in- 

 dustry providing substantial employment and 

 a low -cost source of protein for the African 

 population. However, longstanding consump- 

 tion habits will be difficult to overcome. For 

 the immediate future, most of the market for 

 Kenya fish will be abroad. (United States Em- 

 bassy, Nairobi.) 



South Africa 



INDUSTRY ASKS FOR 

 200 -MILE FISHING LIMIT 



The furor over foreign fishing fleets off 

 the South-West Africa coast during August 

 1966 resulted in two separate moves to dis- 

 courage foreign fleets from operating in South 

 African fishing grounds: (1) The Transport 

 Minister raised charges for transshipping 

 fish in South African and South-West African 

 harbors from about 28 cents to$19.60perton; 

 (2) the retiring president of the Walvis Bay 

 Chamber of Commerce asked the Government 

 to extend territorial fishing waters to 200 

 miles --to further curb foreign fishing opera- 

 tions and to protect the fishing grounds until a 

 survey of available fish resources can be made. 



According to the Namib Times , more than 

 100 foreign trawlers operate between Cape 

 Townand Walvis Bay and their catch exceeds 

 500,000 metric tons per year. The Times 

 also reported that another giant factoryship, 

 the Vostok, displacing 45,000 tons, is being 

 constructed in Leningrad for the Soviet fleet 

 and will operate in the pilchard fishing grounds 

 off South-West Africa. 



The extension of territorial fishing waters 

 to 200 miles is an oft-heard recommendation 

 that uses Peru as a precedent. Following 

 hearings in South-West Africa at the end of 

 September 1966, the survey of the South-West 

 Africa fishing industry is expected to say 

 something about fishing limit in its report. 

 (United States Embassy, Pretoria.) 



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