MOMBASA, Kenya, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday launched Coast Guard Service to help enhance the east African nation's maritime security along the coastline.
Kenyatta said the Coast Guard Service shall, in cooperation with other national security organs, safeguard the country's territorial waters against dumping of harmful wastes and pollutants, search and rescue services, and the arrest of illegal fishermen.
"For too long we have experienced multiple problems with marine security including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by foreign trawlers, smuggling of contraband goods, degradation of marine ecosystems through discharge of oil, toxic waste dumping and the destruction of coral reefs and coastal forests," he said.
The president who spoke in the coastal city of Mombasa said the service will help increase efficiency in protection of maritime resources.
"It will enforce security, safety, and protection of Kenya's maritime resources," he said, noting that apart from illegal fishing, Kenya faces other security concerns such as drug and human trafficking and trans-shipment of illegal arms which come through the sea because of lack of proper surveillance mechanisms.
The Kenyan leader directed that all gazetted fish landing sites at the coast, in lakes Victoria and Turkana and any other lakes or rivers in the country be recovered and secured by the end of March 2019.
Kenyatta who also witnessed the offloading of 150 tonnes of various types of fish worth 30 million shillings (about 300,000 U.S. dollars) noted that the country loses 100 million dollars annually through illegal fishing.
"The Coast Guard will ensure that our ocean will no longer be used by drug and human traffickers, illegal arms dealers and illegal fishing vessels. It will guard against exploitation of our natural resources by foreign countries and ensure that never again will a foreign vessel steal our fish," he said.
The president said the ocean is the emerging frontier for economic and social transformation of sea-facing states and reiterated that Kenya was well positioned to emulate other countries that had excelled in the utilization of maritime resources.
The Monday's launch of the coastguard service comes at a time that Kenya is preparing to host a blue economy conference slated for next week.
