Kenya Maritime and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) has warned of major environmental disaster a long the coastal beaches if the destruction of mangrove forest persists. Statistics alone shows that Kenya has lost about 20% of the mangrove cover which indicate the highest loss rate globally. According to report by KEMFRI the loss of the mangrove is as a result of over-harvesting, land use (Conservations) and the recent climate change through flooding and massive sedimentation.
In a press interview in Mombasa, Jared Bosire, assistant director KEMFRI, said the areas that have mostly been affected are Portreiz and Tudor Creek in Mombasa which have lost almost 46% and 86% of the vegetation respectively.
Mr. Bosire told The Weekly Vision that the loss of mangrove has had an environment impact on socio-economic implications and there is urgency to save these unique mangroves before they are completely devastated.
“We need to save the forests before any disaster happens since the mangrove has an impact on biodiversity and livelihoods which depend on,” said Jared.
Sustainable exploitation and management of the mangroves and other coastal marine resources is critical for attaining some of the vision 2030 milestones.
The report states that Mangrove forest form nutrient-rich environment, which promotes a variety of food chain, hence function as nursery and breeding grounds for fish and invertebrates.
Many of these species spend most of their life cycle in coral reefs, sea grasses. Mangrove trees are also important in shoreline stabilization and provides resources for both rural and urban coastal populations, the report further indicates that mangrove trees are great carbon sinks sequestering a bout 5 times more carbon than any forest ecosystem.
Bosire however, stated that the loss of the mangrove forest has mostly affected the fish-beds especially the prawns since it has seriously caused economic harm to the economy depends mostly on fishing activities a long the coastal beach.
He explained that under the Environmental Management Act, the laws allows clearing of the forest when there is development but there should be proper mitigation process that will ensure that the vegetation is not fully lost.
“There must be a balanced mitigation and development,” said the assistant director.
He also called upon the provincial administration to stop illegal brewing of “changaa” around Tudor Creek since most of the mangrove around the area has been encroached due to human activities.
He said KEMFRI had a mitigation plan of zoning the areas that have been mostly affected so as to control the population of the fish.
“Since most of fish beds lie around these mangroves destroying them simply means fish population in ocean decreases at alarming rate”, he noted.
KEMFRI WARNS OF DISASTER OVER THE LOSE OF MANGROVE IN MOMBASA
Kenya Maritime and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) has warned of major environmental disaster a long the coastal beaches if the destruction of mangrove forest persists. Statistics alone shows that Kenya has lost about 20% of the mangrove cover which indicate the highest loss rate globally. According to report by KEMFRI the loss of the mangrove is as a result of over-harvesting, land use (Conservations) and the recent climate change through flooding and massive sedimentation.
In a press interview in Mombasa, Jared Bosire, assistant director KEMFRI, said the areas that have mostly been affected are Portreiz and Tudor Creek in Mombasa which have lost almost 46% and 86% of the vegetation respectively.
Mr. Bosire told The Weekly Vision that the loss of mangrove has had an environment impact on socio-economic implications and there is urgency to save these unique mangroves before they are completely devastated.
“We need to save the forests before any disaster happens since the mangrove has an impact on biodiversity and livelihoods which depend on,” said Jared.
Sustainable exploitation and management of the mangroves and other coastal marine resources is critical for attaining some of the vision 2030 milestones.
The report states that Mangrove forest form nutrient-rich environment, which promotes a variety of food chain, hence function as nursery and breeding grounds for fish and invertebrates.
Many of these species spend most of their life cycle in coral reefs, sea grasses. Mangrove trees are also important in shoreline stabilization and provides resources for both rural and urban coastal populations, the report further indicates that mangrove trees are great carbon sinks sequestering a bout 5 times more carbon than any forest ecosystem.
Bosire however, stated that the loss of the mangrove forest has mostly affected the fish-beds especially the prawns since it has seriously caused economic harm to the economy depends mostly on fishing activities a long the coastal beach.
He explained that under the Environmental Management Act, the laws allows clearing of the forest when there is development but there should be proper mitigation process that will ensure that the vegetation is not fully lost.
“There must be a balanced mitigation and development,” said the assistant director.
He also called upon the provincial administration to stop illegal brewing of “changaa” around Tudor Creek since most of the mangrove around the area has been encroached due to human activities.
He said KEMFRI had a mitigation plan of zoning the areas that have been mostly affected so as to control the population of the fish.
“Since most of fish beds lie around these mangroves destroying them simply means fish population in ocean decreases at alarming rate”, he noted.
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