Joho forms taskforce to address contentious aquaculture regulations

A task force has been formed to address contentious issues surrounding the Fisheries Management and Development (Aquaculture) Regulations, 2024.
The move by Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho, follows a constitutional petition filed by the Lake Victoria Aquaculture (LVA) Association on December 24, 2024, challenging the regulations published under Legal Notice No. 126 of 2024.
The LVA Association argued that the regulations introduced punitive licensing fees and an ad valorem levy (a tax based on the assessed value of an item) on fish landed, measures deemed unconstitutional and detrimental to the growth of Kenya’s aquaculture industry.
The task force comprises representatives from the Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs ministry, Council of Governors (CoG), LVA Association, and other key sector players.
The taskforce’s mandate is to deliberate on stakeholders’ concerns and derive practical recommendations to resolve the issues that led to the court-ordered suspension of the regulations.
Speaking during a meeting with a section of stakeholders at his office, CS Joho encouraged the task force to approach their mandate positively and collaboratively. “We are not in competition. We are all on the same team. We all want the sector to succeed,” he said,
The LVA Association is a membership organisation established in July 2024 to advance a well-regulated, sustainable aquaculture industry in the Lake Victoria region. It fosters collaboration among fish farmers, industry players, government agencies, and financial institutions, promoting equitable growth, environmental stewardship, and economic empowerment.
LVA chairman Ochieng’ Mbeo explained that stakeholders had been excluded from meaningful involvement in the regulatory process, and several contentious provisions, including unreasonable fees, had been covertly introduced after initial drafts were reviewed, hence its move to file for the legal petition.
“We are very encouraged by the decision by the CS to create an opportunity for the voice of the sector’s stakeholders to be heard in policy making,” he said.
LVA secretary and co-chairperson of the task force, reiterated the association’s commitment to constructive dialogue.
“LVA remains dedicated to working with the government and stakeholders to develop policies that support sustainable aquaculture growth and economic empowerment,” he said, while emphasising the importance of collaboration and accountability in advancing Kenya’s Blue Economy.
The task force is set to begin work immediately and is expected to deliver actionable recommendations before the court-ordered suspension of the regulations expires on February 10, 2025.