With funding provided by the EU through BIOPAMA, Ocean Alive have procured a patrol boat for the Kuruwitu Beach Management Unit (BMU). The boat is used for patrols within the expansive 12,000 ha Co-Management Area.
The boat's launch took place at a small ceremony held on July 21st, 2023, at the Kijangwani landing site. The boat is equipped with a 40-horsepower outboard engine and can accommodate up to 10 patrol guards and will revolutionize how the BMU operates.
Approximately 40% of fishermen in Kilifi county use illegal fishing methods, including spearguns and monofilaments. The patrol boat boosts the BMU's capability to conduct patrols and combat such violations within the Co-Management Area (CMA).
The boat recently played such a role in enabling the BMU to carry out a patrol within Vuma, a critical ecological area, in response to reports of illegal fishing gear usage. Furthermore, the boat provides much needed support in the event of potential maritime emergencies.
' Kuruwitu BMU has benefited so much with the patrol boat, we have been able to follow up on neighboring BMUs who were fishing with illegal gears and practicing destructive fishing methods. Thanks a lot to Oceans Alive and the BIOPAMA project' Ali - Chairman Kuruwitu BMU
