Issue 11 - Socio-economic impacts
The Kenyan Marine and Fisheries Research Institute has been commissioned to undertake a socio-economic study of the potential socio-economic impacts of biodegradable nets and ropes in Kenya. KMFRI is piloting biodegradable gillnets and ropes for seaweed farming and coral restoration. Beyond ensuring that the innovation does not harm, Catchgreen is interested in understanding how the project presents an opportunity to leverage or contribute to the transitions to a Blue Economy in its target countries. The study will investigate opportunities for direct job creation, possible boosting of existing net manufacturing industries, and whether the project has the potential to positively impact the welfare and living conditions of coastal communities in Kenya. The study aims to give context to artisanal fisheries and seaweed farmers and their visions and help the Catchgreen project understand and establish its role in Kenya more clearly.
BiodolomerOcean is made from natural materials and is more expensive to produce than traditional plastics. KMFRI has therefore been asked to identify possible economic models to finance the biodegradable nets and ropes.
The proposed model for seaweed farming is to introduce contract farming as part of the commercialization of the seaweed industry. Through contract farming, small-scale farmers will have access to cash for farming inputs (including biodegradable ropes). Contract farming will also make it possible for the farmers to expand and move farms to deeper, cooler water where the more profitable seaweed species strive. The model assumes that farmers may be paid more for seaweed that is sustainably farmed.
Gill nets cause an incredible amount of environmental damage. Used to capture large amounts of fish, they kill not only targeted species but any marine life that gets caught. Gill nets are also very likely to be lost at sea and are one of the most common causes of ghost fishing around the world.
On the other hand, gill nets are important for local economies as they underpin livelihoods, and contribute to food security for artisanal fishers and local communities involved in the fisheries value chain. An outright ban on the nets is therefore not an option. There is however a need to improve the understanding of the economic costs of plastic marine pollution and ghost fishing as this will assist in developing strategies for how to prevent, mitigate, and remediate the impacts of gill nets.
While noting that there has been a significant reduction in artisanal fisheries production in Kenya, the socio-economic study by KMFRI is looking at possible links between lost fishing gear and reduced fishing catches and how this translates into reduced incomes for local fisheries. It is also looking at how biodegradable nets can have a positive impact on the livelihoods of Kenyan artisanal fishers.
The socio-economic study is further exploring options for how to execute a national rollout of biodegradable gill nets. The switch to environmentally friendly fishing gear would most likely require the introduction of economic incentives. The project is looking for lessons learned from the Beach Seine Exit Project in Lamu Country. This was community-led conservation project that paid fishermen for handing in the extremely destructive seine net. The project had positive impacts not only on the local environment but noticeable impacts on the livelihoods of local fishermen.
