MOMBASA (Xinhua) --
The Kenyan government said Monday it
will expand its venture on maritime research with the launch of
the new vessel in the Indian Ocean, which has recorded reduction
of piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia.President
Uhuru Kenyatta said the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research
Institute (KMFRI) will use the 56-meter RV 'Zeeleeuw' to
undertake cruise research in the Indian Ocean waters.
"Our lack of an offshore research vessel for
oceanographic study and stock assessment has been a major
obstacle.
"Similarly, our monitoring, control and surveillance of
these fisheries would now be improved by the offshore patrol
vessel," he said when he commissioned the research sea
vessel in Mombasa.
The vessel, the largest of its kind in the region, was
donated by the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and the Fund for
Scientific Research in Belgium for fisheries research and
conservation of marine life in the Indian Ocean.
The KMFRI’s RV 'Mtafiti' sea vessel will undertake
physical, chemical, geological and biological oceanography
research besides carrying out fisheries stock assessment within
the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Kenyatta said the ship will also be utilized for
exploratory experimental fishing to establish suitable means
for the optimal exploitation of marine fisheries.
"We are a significant maritime nation.
"Though no complete stock assessment has been carried
out, various studies show that this fishery is
under-exploited," Kenyatta said.
The president said lack of an offshore research vessel for
oceanographic study and stock assessment has been a major
obstacle to research and management of marine stocks.
He regretted the loss of up to 117 million U.S. dollars a
year to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing out of 140.4
million dollars estimated by the Marine Fisheries Taskforce
estimated four years ago.
The Kenyan waters in the Indian Ocean have been major hunting
grounds for Somali pirates in the last couple of years with
millions of dollars being paid in ransom to free hostages and
cargo in hijacked ships.
