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Mitigation of illegal fishing activities: enhancing compliance with fisheries regulation in Lake Victoria (Kenya)

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Abstract

Overexploitation of living resources severely affects aquatic ecosystems and is among the most serious environmental issues worldwide. Lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water lake in the world, provides food and jobs to almost 30 million people in three African countries and is nowadays facing significant decrease in fish stock due to its unsustainable use. To analyse reasons behind the illegal fishing activities in the Kenyan part of the lake, the survey programme was designed based on a rational choice framework, and data analysis on compliance with fisheries regulatory law was carried out. Selection of explanatory variables to be considered was guided by the “Table of 11”, which is a tool elaborated for the Netherlands’ Ministry of Justice to analyse the regulated community’s behaviour and motivations. Key findings of the study show that existing economic environment and weak enforcement contribute to the low compliance with the fisheries regulations and lead to further degradation of the lake ecosystem.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Fisheries Development, Eldoret, Kenya

    C. A. Etiegni

  2. UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft, the Netherlands

    E. Ostrovskaya

  3. Water Management Inspectorate, Lelystad, the Netherlands

    J. Leentvaar & F. Eizinga

Authors
  1. C. A. Etiegni
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  2. E. Ostrovskaya
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  3. J. Leentvaar
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  4. F. Eizinga
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Correspondence to E. Ostrovskaya.

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Etiegni, C.A., Ostrovskaya, E., Leentvaar, J. et al. Mitigation of illegal fishing activities: enhancing compliance with fisheries regulation in Lake Victoria (Kenya). Reg Environ Change 11, 323–334 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-010-0134-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-010-0134-4

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