Our Events
TuFAK Training on Marine Spatial Planning
TuFAK organized a training for its members on Marine Spatial Planning. This took place on 1st and 2nd December 2021, at Bamburi Beach Hotel for 28 members of the network. The training was facilitated by Dr. Jackline Uku from Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Charles Dadu, County Executive Committee (CEC) Physical Planning County Government of Kilifi. In attendance was the Deputy Commissioner National Land Commission (NLC) who made a presentation on the Process of marine spatial planning in the country. The purpose of this training was to enable members of the Alliance to have a broad understanding of what MSP is and its importance and relationship in securing fisheries management spaces and fisheries rights including those of local coastal fisher communities.
Handover of small scale fisheries value chain equipements
Handover of small scale fisheries value chain equipements to Mtwapa and Takaungu BMU in Kilifi County
Training on Marine Spatial Planning
TuFAK organized a training for its members on Marine Spatial Planning. This took place on 1st and 2nd December 2021, at Bamburi Beach Hotel for 28 members of the network. The training was facilitated by Dr. Jackline Uku from Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Charles Dadu, County Executive Committee (CEC) Physical Planning County Government of Kilifi. In attendance was the Deputy Commissioner National Land Commission (NLC) who made a presentation on the Process of marine spatial planning in the country. The purpose of this training was to enable members of the Alliance to have a broad understanding of what MSP is and its importance and relationship in securing fisheries management spaces and fisheries rights including those of local coastal fisher communities
Webinar on World Oceans Day
TuFAK participated in a webinar in celebration for World Oceans Day 2021. The theme for the webinar was -The Ocean: Life & Livelihoods. This virtual event was organized by Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KeMRI), the Kenya National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UNESCO Regional Office for eastern Africa. The aim of the webinar was to sensitize the stakeholders on the threats to ocean health, opportunities, research, conservation, management and monitoring interventions and sustainable nature-based livelihood initiatives.
Development and implementation of TUFAK capacity building plan
From 28-29th June 2022, TUFAK engaged its members in the development and implementation of a capacity building plan. About 30 participants from its member organisations participated. The capacity building plans are critical in the implementation of the TUFAK funded project entitled, "Unlocking a sustainable blue economy in the Southwest Indian Ocean region". TUFAK will engage the national government through policy recommendations on sustainable blue economy for the socioeconomic wellbeing of fishing communities along the Kenyan coast
Developing of TuFAK engagement Strategy
30 members of the network have convened in reef hotel mombasa to develop a 3 year strategy for the network
Workshop on developing TUFAK engagement Strategy
TUFAK convened at the Reef Hotel in Mombasa from June 30 to 01 July 2022 to develop TUFAK engagement Strategy. About 30 members drawn from the network and several others from governmental, and private sectors participated in the event. The engagement strategy will provide a framework for engaging with stakeholders within the coastal, and marine domain from 2022-2026.
Western Indian Ocean Region, 'Introductory Training Course on Marine Protected Area Management'
Elijah Ngoa from TuFAK, participated in the WIO region, "Introductory Training Course on Marine Protected Area Management at the Rhodes University, in South Africa. The course is prerequisite for individuals engaged in coastal and marine conservation in the region.
Webinar assessing the foundations for delivering a sustainable blue economy in the SWIO region
WWF Madagascar the regional coordination unit of the SWIO Sustainable Blue economy project conducted a webinar on the report, “Assessing the foundations for delivering a sustainable blue economy in the SWIO region” on 24th August 2022. The meeting was jointly organized by SWIOTUNA, a regional CSO platform focusing on sustainable management and development of marine fisheries in the region. The purpose of the webinar was to present the findings of the assessment study which was conducted the consulting consortium-RESOLVE-SUSTAIN VALUE. The baseline report will guide TuFAK and other CSOs in engaging with national governments on sustainable blue economy policies and plans.
INDIAN OCEAN BY CATCH MITIGATION WORKSHOP FOCUSED ON DRIFT GILLNETS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
WWF have organized a bycatch mitigation workshop focused on drift-gillnets in the Indian Ocean. The meeting is jointly co-hosted with the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission-the leading Regional fisheries management body responsible for sustainable management and tuna and related species in the Indian Ocean region. The virtual meeting will be conducted from 29th -31st August 2022.The workshop is being conducted virtually using a zoom platform running for 4 hours a day. By catch is a significant threat to marine biodiversity especially for multi-taxa fisheries, and thus, the aim of the workshop is to highlight the up to date scientific work of the by-catch species composition from drift gillnet fisheries in the Indian Ocean region, as well as detailed recommendations for mitigating bycatch especially of threatened species such as sharks, rays, turtles and cetaceans. About 85 participants from the Indian Ocean region and worldwide are attending the workshop.
Build systemic collective action capacity of the community members and constituents on the environment and social safeguard for World Bank for effective policy influence
TUFAK through joint funding from the Community Resource Exchange and WWF-Kenya conducted a two day workshop in Shimoni. The aim of the workshop was to build the capacity of community members on the world bank environment and social safeguards, as well as to learn advocacy from SRI LANKAN CSOs (Sri Lanka Nature Group, and International Accountability project) on the approaches they applied to stop the sustainable fisheries development project in Northern Sri Lanka. 31 members participated in the event
WWF’s Results Sharing and Low-Cost Data Collection and MCS Workshop for Small-Scale Fisheries in South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) and SADC Region 14-17 November 2022
WWF through the SWIO programme conducted a workshop on Baseline studies key findings sharing (IUU, Blue economy and fisheries governance) and low cost data collection and MCS for small scale fisheries in the SWIO and SADC region from 14-17, November 2022. Through the programme titled, “unlocking a sustainable blue economy in the Southwest Indian Ocean Region” WWF and CSO partners intends to influence the adoption and implementation of sustainable blue economy plans/policies as well as advocate for the adoption of tools and frameworks for addressing IUU fishing in the SWIO region. 16 countries are represented at the conference
The 4th World Small Scale Fisheries Congress, Cape Town, South Africa
TUFAK was represented at the 4WSFC in Cape Town, South Africa. The congress theme for the 4WSFC AFRICA, ‘Leading by Examples: Leaderships for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries,’ recognizes the many examples, lessons and experiences that individual, communities, governments, inter-governmental organizations, and other supporting institutions have in the efforts to build and enhance capacity for sustainable small-scale fisheries. The 4WSFC Africa congress was organized around six main topics (Leaders in action research, leaders in blue justice, leaders in business and social innovation, leaders in climate friendly food systems, leaders in community based conservation) to demonstrate how existing and potential leaderships in small-scale fisheries can lead to better mutual outcomes.
Regional CSO Workshop Garden Court, Cape Town, South Africa – 24th & 25th November 2022
Participants were from the CSOs within the SWIO seascape including Madagascar, Comoros, Tanzania and Kenya. The Objectives of the workshop were: • To share, inform and strengthen WWF and its partners’ knowledge on WWF's social policies, environmental and social safeguards principles, social cross-cutting issues (gender, HRBA, Conflict), as well as budgeting and financial management tools; • To exchange experiences between participants on challenges, good practices and needs on the above principles, policies and tools; and • To encourage partners to consider the recommendations of social policies, environmental and social safeguards principles and cross-cutting aspects in their modus operandi. • Identify how CSO partners view WWF’s role and what their long-term needs are; • Identify priority areas for collective action for 2023; and • Identify the risks that CSOs face and the impacts of the risks on the populations affected by their advocacy, including how best to ensure CSOs represent coastal communities views in policy fora and how we can improve the two way flow of information ? Focus on Sustainable Blue Economy (due to time sensitivity of the issue and building on the CSO workshop held in Tanzania) • Identify the needs for CSOs to advocate effectively in high-level policy forums for improved fisheries management and how best CSOs could engage with SWIO countries to voice the concerns; o Focus on developing a deeper understanding of the processes of Indian Ocean Tuna Commission o Identification of key events and dates and engagement with SWIO countries o Validating CSO power mapping in the SWIO region and sharing broader power analysis to demonstrate critical elements influencing decision making in IOTC
Workshop on developing TUFAK Advocacy Strategy
TUFAK through funding from WWF Kenya under the Sustainable Blue Economy project conducted a two day workshop from 13-14th Dec 2022 to develop its advocacy plan. The advocacy plan will enable the alliance to lobby with the national government for the implementation of the regional Minimum terms and conditions (MTCs) guidelines for granting access to foreign fishing vessels targeting tuna and tuna-like species in the Kenyan EEZ waters. In attendance were 12 participants (6men and 6women), mainly from the CSOs along the Kenyan coast. The keynote speaker was Mr. Benedict Kiilu from the Kenya Fisheries Service, Mombasa, Kenya.
IOTC 11th Meeting of the technical committee on allocation criteria (TCAC 11) and Special session 6 on Management of fish aggregated devices (FADs)
TuFAK participated at the IOTC 11th Meeting of technical committee on allocation criteria and the IOTC special session 6 on the management Fish aggregated devices (FADs). The TCAC 11 aimed at developing Total allowable catches for the EEZ, and high seas in the IOTC area of competence for the CPCs. The IOTC special session 6 aimed at developing specific resolutions for managing both Anchored FADs and Drifting FADs which are associated with high juvenile mortalities of yellowfin and bigeye tuna in the IOTC area of competence.
National Validation of the National Blue Economy Strategy, in Naivasha, Kenya
TuFAK participated at the national validation of the national blue economy strategy at lake Naivasha Resort. The chief guest was the CS for mining, blue economy and maritime affairs-Hon. Salim Mvurya. Participation was from the national government line ministries, County governments, development partners, national blue economy resources associations, regional blue economy resources associations, CBOs and other experts.
ENGAGMENT MEETING WITH KENYA FISHERIES SERVICE ON REVIEWING THE TUNA FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
On 6th February 2023, the Tuna fisheries alliance of Kenya (TuFAK) had an engagement meeting with Kenya fisheries service to discuss the progress towards reviewing the Tuna fisheries management and development strategy. The meeting was conducted at the Kenya fisheries service office in Mombasa. The Agenda of the meeting was as follows: 1) Overview of the sustainable blue economy project being implemented by TuFAK 2) Implementation of TuFAK capacity building plan and advocacy strategy 3) Way forward on the Tuna fisheries management and development strategy (2013-2018) 4) Framework for implementing the MTCs guidelines with a specific focus on articles 21-on landing, 22-on Bycatch and discards, 23-on crews, and article 24 on working conditions on board fishing vessels 5) How can TUFAK and Kenya fisheries service engage in reviewing the strategy?
