KENYA: Nylon fishing nets are a death trap for whale sharks and turtles on the coast of Kenya

Record ID: 361950

  • Title: KENYA: Nylon fishing nets are a death trap for whale sharks and turtles on the coast of Kenya
  • Date: 8th May 2009
  • Summary: DIANI, MOMBASA, KENYA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FISHERMEN REPAIRING TRADITIONAL PALM LEAF NETS VARIOUS OF VOLKER BASSEN SPEAKING WITH FISHERMEN ABOUT NYLON NETS VARIOUS OF FISHERMAN SITTING IN FRONT OF NYLON NETS (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) VOLKER BASSEN, THE EAST AFRICAN WHALE SHARK TRUST, SAYING: "They lose a lot of these nets. In the last 6 months, they've lost 6 nets, th
  • Embargoed: 23rd May 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Environment / Natural World,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVA1NTVXTPI8BANEBMGEFZH1MNXK
  • Story Text: It's as heavy as two buses, has over 3000 teeth and has been cruising the world's oceans since dinosaurs ruled the planet. This is the world's largest fish - the whale shark. Along the Kenyan coast, the sharks, which grow up to 20m, are known as Papa Mashilingi, or sharks that are covered in shillings. It's local legend that when God made the whale shark, he was so pleased, he gave his angels handfuls of gold and silver coins to throw down from heaven onto its back. But at the ocean's surface, the giants are under threat.
    The Kenyan coast's coral reef is prime fishing territory. Every day fishermen here cordon off tens of kilometers of water with nylon nets. These nets were donated by the US government agency USAID.
    The nets have helped the fishermen increase their daily income from around 5 USD to 7 USD. But the nets are unsustainable. When pulled up, they snag chunks of coral, destroying the reef. When the light is low, the nets are nearly invisible and are a death trap for all sorts of marine life.
    This 7 metre-long juvenile whale shark was entangled in 2004. In order to save his net, a fisherman chopped off its tail. Turtles are also frequent victims.
    "In their season, we do catch them, let's say twice a day. When we go out twice a day, we catch them twice a day," said Mzee Khamisi, a local fisherman after cutting two free from his net for a 12 USD reward.
    The fishermen have options besides the nylon nets. Traditionally along the Kenyan coast, these homemade traps were used. But the traps, made of palm leaves, catch less fish than the nylon nets. Nylon nets are also preferred because they are non-biodegradable and so can last forever. But when the nets are lost at sea, there are devastating consequences.
    Volker Bassen is the founder of the East African Whale Shark Trust, a local marine conservation organization.
    "They lose a lot of these nets. In the last 6 months, they've lost 6 nets, that's one net every month that's been lost- they are made of nylon, nylon doesn't disintegrate, it's not biodegradable and they turn into so-called ghost nets and continue to fish for decades," said Bassen.
    The nylon nets kill indiscriminately and there is a global campaign to stop their use. The nets are banned in many places in the US - the very country that donated them.
    US-AID representative Robert Buzzard would not speak on camera but admitted that his organization didn't monitor the environmental impact of the nets.
    The net donation was part of a USD575,000 project that ran from 2003 to 2007. Buzzard said the project was aimed at alleviating poverty on the coast but that the project was over and the nets would not be replaced.
    When the fishermen return with the day's catch, everyone lends a hand in sorting the fish which will be packed and sold to the beach hotels. These fishermen know that using environmentally friendly nets will keep their reef healthy and tourists coming. But their nylon nets bring in badly needed income - so choosing between the lives of whale sharks and those of their families, isn't really a choice at all.
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