OPINION | Deep sea fishing: Kenya’s forgotten maritime dream

A fisherman holding a fish. Photo/Unspash

By Andrew Mwangura

newshub@eyewitness.africa

In the golden era of Kenya after independence, a bold maritime vision of the waters of the Indian Ocean emerged. The history of FV Ujuzi, FV Uchumi and FV UFUNGUO ships repress more than only ships: they symbolize an aspirational leap of a nation to industrial fishing and maritime sovereignty.

Established in the 1960s, Kenya’s fishing industry was a will to the ambition of the young nation. The Liwatoni fishing complex stood as a cornerstone of this vision, using 4,000 workers, predominantly women, who became the backbone of the Maritime Industrial Sector of Kenya. These were not only jobs, but opportunities for economic empowerment, partly for women who found significant employment in this emerging industry.

The three ships – FV Ujuzi, FV Uchumi and FV UFUNGUO – were more than wood and steel constructions; They were floating achievements of Kenya’s maritime potential, each fully manned by Kenya officers and qualifications, a remarkable achievement for a nation just a decade in its independence.

The thesis ship trip begged an innovative association with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). A select group of officers, engineers and fish workers from Kenia Marine was transferred to Japan, receiving comprehensive training that would equip them not only to operate, but also dominated these industrial fishing ships. The Liwatoni fishing training center in Mombasa became the melting pot where maritime experience was forged, prepared a generation of Kenya sailors.

However, the promising trajectory of the industry was brutally interrupted by a storm or perfect challenges. Internal mismanagement plagued Kenya’s fishing industry, creating inefficiencies that undermined their potential. But the most devastating blow came from foreign industrial fishing operations: an illegal fishing, not reported and unregulated fishering vessel ecosystem (IUU) of powerful maritime nations.

The distant water fishing fleets of South Korea, China, Russia and European countries descended on the rich marine territories of Kenya. These ships, equipped with advanced technologies and backed by massive industrial capabilities, systematic local fishing efforts. They are based on the maritime economic zone of Kenya, exploiting resources with little consideration for sustainable fishing practices or local economic interests.

The result was devastating. What was once a promising national industry collapsed in the early 1980s, leaving only memories of potential and dreams of maritime sovereignty. The 4000 Liwatoni workers, mostly women who had found economic independence, suddenly were without their livelihood. These ships – FV Ujuzi (Skill), FV Uchumi (Economy) and FV UFUNGUO (key) – Scholarships Tragic symbols of an economic vision crushed by international industrial power and mismanagement internal.

Today, these ships serve as more than historical artifacts. They are a will to ambition for a young nation, a reminder of what bone could have. They challenge us to reflect on industrial policy, maritime sovereignty and the unequal global economic structures that continue to challenge develop nations.

The history of the deep water fishing industry of Kenya is not just an economic failure. This is resilience in the face of the international competition of Neverhelming. These are the dreams of thousands of workers, partly women, who saw in these ships and this industry a path to economic empowerment and national pride.

As Kenia continues to develop her maritime potential, the legacy or the FV UJUZI, FV Uchumi and FV Ufuguo should not be forgotten. They represent a crucial chapter in the economic history of nations, a chapter of hope, skill and continuous struggle for economic self -determination.

The writer is a veteran merchant sailor.