How to Apply For a Fishing Permit in Kenya

Apply For a Fishing Permit Businesses operating in Kenya are typically required to obtain one or more licenses and permits, depending on the activities of their enterprise.  There are normally two types of business licenses:

Sector-specific licenses – these licenses are issued to firms operating in a specific line of business (e.g., mining, banking, telecoms) by the agencies charged with regulating those sectors.
Non-sector specific, or cross-cutting licenses – these licenses are issued to firms undertaking activities that are subject to regulation but may fall across many business types.  Examples include environmental, immigration, and construction permits.

Procedure on How to Apply For a Fishing Permit in Kenya

• Agency: Ministry of Fisheries Development
• Purpose: To ensure that unauthorized introductions of fish into aquatic resources does not take place
• Application Fee: No Fee
• License Fee: Ksh. 100/=
• Maximum Processing Time: 1 day
• Statutes:
• Gazetted On: 1991-01-01
• Related Websites: www.fisheries.go.ke
• Validity: 1 Calender year
• Enactment: 1989-08-25
• Contact Office: Office of the director Fisheries Headquarters
• Resolution Criteria: Reg 30 (1) Any licensing officer may without disclosing any reason,refuse to issue any license or permit required under Fisheries (General) regulations and where such refusal is made by a licensing officer other than the director,the licensing officer shall report every case in writing detailing reasons for refusal to the Director. (2) Any person aggrieved by the decision of the licensing officer may ,within thirty days of communication to him of such refusal,appeal in writing to the director. (3) The Director may confirm,vary or reverse the decision and shall accordingly issue instructions to the licensing officer.

Apply In-Person

1. To apply for a Fishing permit in Kenya. An applicant has to make the application in writing to the Commissioner in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the Commissioner. The applicant can also download the application form from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Website.
2. The applicant should then fill in the required details and submits the application form with the required documents. Details of the required documents can be obtained from the ’’ Required Documents’’ of this page.
3. Some of the details that are required include the following.(a) the particulars and description of the craft in respect of which the application is made;(b) state in sufficient details-(i) the method to be employed in fishing; and(ii) the area within which it is proposed that the craft is to be operated;(c) be accompanied by such fee as the Commissioner may prescribe.
4. The Commissioner may, before considering an application require the applicant-(a) to satisfy him(i) that the craft is properly constructed and equipped.(ii) that the form and construction of the fishing nets, fishing gear and other equipment intended for use in fishing are adequate for the purpose of the fishing operation;(b) to supply such other information as he may require to enable him to reach a decision on the application.
5. Pay the appropriate required fees and submit the receipt to the commissioner.
6. Upon processing , the applicant will be issued with the Fishing Permit . Apply For a Fishing Permit

Required Documents

1. A valid passport or identity card
2. Vessel / Fishing Craft registration documents
3. Company registration details’
4. hunting pass
5. Fishing equipment details.

Office Locations & Contacts

Ministry of agriculture livestock and fisheries, Off cathedral road, Nairobi
P. O. Box 34188-00100 Kenya
E-mail:info@kilimo.go.ke
Telephone: Tel.+254-20-2718870
Website : link

Eligibility

• All Foreigners and Resident of Kenya are Eligible.
• Foreigner tourist must have a tourist visa.

Fees

• Application Fee: No fee
• License Fee: Kshs 500/=

Validity

• The certificate is valid for one year.
• The certificate will remain valid up to the date stated therein or where no such date is specified up to 31st December of the year in which it is issued

Documents to Use

• GENERAL APPLICATION FORM

Processing Time

• Two days.

Instructions – Apply For a Fishing Permit

• A licence, permit, authorization or certificate of registration issued under these Regulations shall not be transferable.

Required Information

1. Name of Applicant
2. Nationality /No./Passport No
3. Mailing Address
4. Telephone No. .
5. Business Location: Name of Building/Place
6. Details of vessel:
7. Name of vessel
8. Type of vessel (Hori/Ngalawa/Sees/Canoe/Mtarumai/Jahazi/Others).
9. Type of hull
10. Overall Length
11. Date of Construction
12. Port of Reg
13. Prime Mover: Paddle/Sail/Outboard/Inboard Engine.
14. Engine Type (Fuel)
15. Intended Fishing Area
16. Proposed fishing Methods
17. Declaration

Need for the Document – Apply For a Fishing Permit

• A person is required to obtain a valid fishing license prior to fishing in inland waters or transporting fish taken from inland waters. A person is required to keep his/her fishing license with him/her at all times while fishing or transporting fish and must exhibit their license for inspection by any warden, department employee, guide or landowner upon request.
• No person in Kenya is allowed to export or import a live fish or any other aquatic animal without the permission of the Minister.
• A person who contravenes a provision of subsection (1) of the fishing Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of Ksh.2,000 or imprisonment for a term of five years or to both such fine and imprisonment and, in addition, the fish or aquatic animal shall be forfeited to the Kenyan Government.
• Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of the Fishing Act the Minister has the power , from time to time, export or imports a specialized species of fish or other aquatic animal for the purpose of exchange of fishery information or for research.
• The Sea Fisheries Act provide Regulations, made under section 13 of Fisheries act which state that every vessel intended for fishing to be registered with the Ministry of Fisheries Development and require vessels first to be licensed before they are transferred. They also require Specific requirements are set out for fishing vessels engaged in shrimp trawling.

Information which might help

Identification mark on fishing craft

• The owner or operator of a craft shall exhibit the registration number of the craft on both sides of the craft in bold letters with a prefix reflecting the State of registration.
• A person who fails to exhibit a registration number on his craft as required under commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a term of three months or to both such fine and imprisonment.

Note: Restriction on use of fishing gear, etc.

1. No person shall fish with a gear constructed with net webbing of less than 76 millimeters except where the gear consists of-(a) Pelagic trawl nets used for freshwater sardines, that is, clupeids, which are used with outboard engines of not more than 25 horsepower capable of operating trawl net with three millimeters cod-end; or(b) Lift nets used for freshwater sardines constructed with three to five millimeters stretched mesh webbing.
2. No single fishing unit shall operate with a single net or a combination of nets exceeding 500 meters of three millimeters mesh size and above.
3. A person who contravenes this provision of commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of Ksh.500 or imprisonment for a term of six months or to both such fine and imprisonment and, in addition, the net and catch shall be forfeited to the government of the State in which the offence was committee.
4. No person shall use any vessel for fishing in Kenya’s fishery waters unless there is in force in relation to the vessel a valid certificate of registration.
5. A certificate of registration in the prescribed form may on application and on payment of the prescribed fee be issued by an authorized officer to the owner of the vessel.
6. Every vessel in respect of which a certificate of registration is issued under this Act shall be marked in such manner as the Director may require.
7. The Director shall cause to be kept a register of all vessels registered under this Act.
8. Any person who uses any vessel for fishing in Kenya fishery waters without a valid certificate of registration for that vessel shall be guilty of an offence

External Links

• Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
• Marine and Inland Fisheries Regulation

KENYA FISHERIES SERVICE

Museum Hill, P.O. Box 58187 , Nairobi 00200
Tel: +254 733 440 094 / +254 720 370 099
Fax: +254 203 743 699
Email: Info@kilimo.go.ke
Website: www.kilimo.go.ke/fisheries