Kenya’s Aquaculture Industry on the Rise as Cage Farming and Hatcheries Boost Fish Production

Key Highlights

• Kenya’s aquaculture sector is among the fastest-growing industries.
• Cage farming in Lake Victoria is helping bridge the fish supply gap.
• Africa’s largest marine hatchery established along Kenya’s coast.
• Hatchery producing shrimp, rabbit fish, and Marine Corps fingerlings for coastal farmers.
• KEMFRI developing affordable feeds using local agro-industrial byproducts.
• Regional cooperation urged to tackle marine pollution and overfishing.
• Kenya pushing small-scale fishers to form cooperatives for deep-sea fishing.
• Research and technology, including AI, driving marine resource management.

Kenya’s aquaculture sector is experiencing rapid growth, positioning itself as one of the country’s most dynamic industries. Experts say innovations such as cage farming in Lake Victoria and new hatchery systems along the Indian Ocean coast are revolutionizing fish production and reducing reliance on imports.

Dr. Jonathan Munguti, Director of Aquaculture Research at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI), said cage farming has been instrumental in bridging the supply gap.

“With natural fish catches declining globally, aquaculture is the way forward. Cage farming in Lake Victoria has already reduced the need for imports from countries such as China,” he noted.

A major milestone has been the establishment of the largest marine hatchery along Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline. The facility is producing shrimp, rabbit fish, and Marine Corps fingerlings, which are being distributed to community groups in Tsunza, Shimoni (Kwale) and Baso (Kilifi).

Dr. Munguti explained that the hatchery solves the long-standing challenge of unreliable seed, previously sourced unsustainably from the wild.

KEMFRI is also piloting aquaculture projects with salt farms in Malindi, Kilifi County, using brackish water. To address feed shortages, the institute is formulating nutritious, affordable fish feeds from locally available agro-industrial byproducts.

“Our role is to provide solutions. By securing quality seed and promoting local feed production, we are ensuring aquaculture grows sustainably and supports both coastal and inland farmers,” Dr. Munguti said.

Speaking at the 13th Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Symposium in Mombasa, KEMFRI Chief Executive Officer Dr. Paul Orina emphasized the need for regional collaboration to protect marine ecosystems.

“The ocean knows no boundaries. If Kenya bans plastics but our neighbors don’t, the problem persists. We must act together to protect marine life,” he urged.

Orina cited plastic pollution, oil spills, and illegal fishing as key threats to marine health. While Kenya has outlawed single-use plastic carrier bags, he called for broader measures to manage other plastics, including community incentives for waste collection and centralized disposal systems.

On fisheries, Orina noted that Kenya’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) holds abundant stocks but small-scale fishers lack the resources for deep-sea exploitation. He encouraged fishers to form cooperatives to improve bargaining power, access financing, and acquire larger vessels for sustainable fishing.

KEMFRI is also integrating science and technology into marine research, adopting artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital monitoring systems to enhance resource management.

“Research is costly but essential. We must stop being consumers of solutions and become producers of innovations that safeguard our oceans,” Orina stressed.