kenya fisheries service kefs

What kenya fisheries service kefs does

Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS) is a body corporate established under the Fisheries Management and Development Act Cap 378 (Act No. 35 of 2016) and operates as the sole statutory regulator of fisheries and aquaculture in Kenya. It sits under the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs and is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Dr. Samier Muravvej, with Daisy Karimi Muriuki 'ndc' (K) serving as Director General. Its mandate is to conserve, manage, and develop Kenya's fisheries and aquaculture resources, and its scope covers inland capture fisheries (notably Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana), marine fisheries along the 1,420 km coastline, aquaculture development, and fish trade.

KeFS delivers its mandate through an interconnected portfolio of services. Licensing covers domestic and foreign fishing vessels, fishery enterprises, and aquaculture facilities, with applications routed through Beach Management Units (BMUs) at county level. Quality Assurance and Inspection provides approval, routine, spot-check, and verification inspections for processing establishments, hatcheries, and border posts. Three ISO 17025-accredited laboratories (Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu) conduct microbiological, chemical, and sensory testing. Import/Export Services issue permits and fish health certificates for international trade. Operational directorates cover Capture Fisheries, Aquaculture, Quality Safety & Trade, Kenya Fishing School, Corporate Secretary & Legal Services, and Corporate Services. A Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Centre in Mombasa conducts vessel patrols and boarding inspections, supported by inter-agency arrangements with the Kenya Coast Guard Service.

KeFS generates revenue from statutory fees across licensing, laboratory testing, inspection, and export/import permits, processed through 11 regional offices and seven border posts (JKIA, Mombasa Port, Namanga, Malaba, Busia, Isebania, LungaLunga). It supports training through NARDTC Sagana and the National Trout Hatchery at Kiganjo, and runs genetic and breeding programmes for warm-water, cold-water, and mariculture species. The body it regulates produced 161,308 MT of fish worth KES 35.9 billion in 2023, directly and indirectly supporting 1.5 million people as fishers, fish farmers, processors, traders, and dependents, and exported 10,707 MT earning KES 6.68 billion. KeFS has 108 employees and works with multilateral partners including FAO, UNODC, The Nature Conservancy, TradeMark Africa, and the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation.

Name

kenya fisheries service kefs

Legal name

Kenya Fisheries Service

Website

https://kefs.go.ke

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS) is the Kenyan government regulator established under the Fisheries Management and Development Act Cap 378 to conserve, manage, and develop the country's fisheries and aquaculture resources through licensing, laboratory testing, inspection, and border-post services across 11 regional offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Fisheries Management and Regulatory Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (92614), Aquaculture (1125), Aquaculture (11251)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aquaculture & Fish Health Services (AFAEANAE), Veterinary Regulatory Authorities (Licensing, Compliance & Enforcement) (HLAMAJAC), Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI)

Keywords

• Fisheries regulatory services
• Fishing license issuance
• Aquaculture development services
• Fish quality assurance
• Marine fisheries management

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Licensing Fees: Revenue generated from issuing licenses for fishing vessels (domestic and foreign craft), fishery enterprises, aquaculture facilities, fish processing, crustacean dealers, fish movers, and fish traders
2. Laboratory Testing Services: Fees for microbiological, physico-chemical, chemical, contaminants (heavy metals) and pesticides testing in water, sediments and fish/fishery products
3. Inspection and Certification Fees: Revenue from approval inspections, routine inspections, spot check inspections, and verification inspections of fish processing establishments, vessels, hatcheries, and cold storage facilities
4. Export and Import Permits: Fees for issuance of export permits, import permits, and fish health certificates for fish and fishery products
5. Live Fish Movement Permits: Permit fees for traders moving fish and fish products within the country

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kenya Fisheries Service is the statutory government regulator responsible for conserving, managing, and developing Kenya's fisheries and aquaculture resources. It issues fishing licenses for domestic and foreign vessels, conducts quality assurance inspections of fish processing establishments, operates ISO 17025 accredited laboratories for microbiological, chemical and sensory testing, issues export/import permits and fish health certificates, and runs Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) operations to combat IUU fishing across inland and marine waters.

Product overview

Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS) operates as a government regulatory agency offering a portfolio of interconnected services for the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The core offerings include Licensing Services for domestic and foreign fishing vessels, Quality Assurance and Inspection covering fish processing establishments and border posts, Fish Laboratories providing microbiology, chemical, and sensory testing, and Import/Export Services facilitating international fish trade. Supporting services include Aquaculture Services (consultancies, fingerling production, technology development), the Kenya Fishing School for staff training and TVET curriculum development, Capture Fisheries Management across inland lakes and marine waters, Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) for compliance enforcement, Genetic and Breeding Services managing certified hatcheries, the National Trout Hatchery for cold-water species, Innovation and Technology promotion including aquaponics, Fish Processing and Value Addition guidance, and an Approved Establishments Registry. These services work together under the Fisheries Management and Development Act Cap 378 to conserve, manage, and develop Kenya's fisheries and aquaculture resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Licensing Services Issues and manages fishing licenses including domestic craft licenses, fisherman's licenses, foreign craft licenses, fishery enterprise licenses, aquaculture facility licenses, fish processor, crustacean dealer, fish mover, and fish trader licenses. Applications are processed through Beach Management Units and regional offices, with a maximum 7-day turnaround for domestic craft.
• Quality Assurance and Inspection Provides approval inspections, routine inspections, spot check inspections, and verification inspections for fish processing establishments, marine fishing vessels, hatcheries, ice plants, cold storage facilities, and border posts to ensure compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
• Fish Laboratories Provides ISO 17025 accredited laboratory testing services through three divisions: Microbiology Laboratory (E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp), Chemical Laboratory (pesticide residues, heavy metals, contaminants), and Sensory Laboratory (texture, flavor, taste, appearance of fish products) for fish, water, sediments, and fish feeds.
• Import/Export Services Facilitates trade of fish and fishery products locally, regionally and internationally through issuance of import permits, export permits, fish health certificates, and compliance certificates for processed and live fish and fishery products.
• Aquaculture Services Provides consultancies, training of fish producers, breeding and selling of fingerlings, and approvals for aquaculture licenses. Manages innovation, technology development, and genetic breeding programs in collaboration with county governments.
• Kenya Fishing School Provides induction training for new KeFS staff, develops and reviews TVET curriculum in fisheries and aquaculture, offers refresher courses, and provides field attachments to tertiary and university students.
• Capture Fisheries Management Manages inland and marine capture fisheries including Lake Victoria, Lake Turkana, and Indian Ocean. Implements sustainable fisheries policies, monitors fish landings, and coordinates with Beach Management Units.
• Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Implements Monitoring, Control and Surveillance for capture fisheries, manages patrols to protect fisheries resources, conducts fishing vessel boarding and inspection, and operates the MCS Centre in Mombasa to combat IUU fishing.
• National Trout Hatchery Located at Kiganjo, Nyeri County, produces rainbow trout and brown trout fingerlings, provides technical advice to trout farmers, and hosts educational tours on cold water fisheries.
• Genetic and Breeding Services Manages warm water, cold water, and mariculture genetic and breeding divisions. Maintains gene banks, germplasm, and registers certified hatcheries across Kenya for aquaculture genetic improvement.
• Approved Establishments Registry Maintains a public list of approved fishing vessels and land-based establishments authorized to handle and process fish for domestic and export markets. Includes enterprises such as East African Sea Food Ltd, Sea Harvest (K) Ltd, Global Seafood Trading Ltd, Diamond Seafood Trading Ltd, Pweza Fishing Operations, and Brinkley Ltd.
• Compliance and Enforcement Implements policies on compliance and enforcement, manages fisheries electronic information systems, develops compliance plans, and coordinates with other agencies on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 161,308 MT of fish produced in 2023 worth KES 35.9 billion, supporting 1.5 million people
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TradeMark AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on strategic workshop for Top Management held at Lake Naivasha Resort. TradeMark Africa supports trade and competitiveness initiatives in Eastern Africa.
• United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on strengthening Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) to address Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and fisheries crimes. 25 MCS personnel trained in fisheries investigation, Boarding & Inspection and Fisheries crimes. Study visit to Namibia on fisheries observer programme undertaken. HR Policy on corruption and whistle blowing developed. Activities include establishment of MCS command centre and training on crimes along fisheries value chains.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to improve marine fisheries governance. Development of National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (NPOA-IUU) fishing and Lobster fishery Harvest Strategy. Pilot project on Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) for monitoring licensed fishing vessels.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on strengthening fisheries governance through development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for MCS and training of MCS personnel on Port State Measures (PSM). Review of Fisheries Management and Development Act Cap 378 on sections relevant to PSM is ongoing.
• Go-Blue ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapacity building partnership for personnel involved in fisheries governance. 40 fisheries officers and 35 Corporal Fisheries Guards trained for two months on various aspects of fisheries management.
• Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint MCS operations for fisheries enforcement. 4 KCGS officers trained alongside KeFS personnel on fisheries investigation and crimes. Collaborative framework for inter-agency Monitoring, Control and Surveillance.
• Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration in capture fisheries and aquaculture. KMFRI provides scientific research support and expertise. Joint delivery of aquaculture support services including fingerlings and technical advisory to county governments.
• Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in aquaculture development initiatives. Supports expansion of cage culture and land-based aquaculture production.
• Kenya Marine Fisheries and Socio-economic Development (KEMFSED)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports socio-economic development in marine fisheries communities. Part of external links ecosystem.
• Fish Levy Trust Fund (FLTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperationalizing sustainable financing for fisheries management and conservation. Expected to benefit fishers in the country through additional funding for resource management.
• Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaboration on transboundary fisheries management for Lake Victoria shared among Kenya (6%), Uganda (43%), and Tanzania (51%).

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Directorate of Fisheries Resources, Uganda: Uganda's national fisheries regulator under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. It is directly comparable because it performs the equivalent statutory mandate of licensing, inspection, and aquaculture development for capture fisheries on the shared Lake Victoria resource.
• Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO): A regional intergovernmental body coordinating fisheries management for Lake Victoria across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. LVFO is directly comparable because KeFS serves as Kenya's national executing arm for LVFO's regional frameworks on licensing, MCS, and sustainable capture fisheries on the shared lake.
• Fisheries Commission of Ghana: Ghana's national fisheries regulatory body responsible for licensing, MCS, and aquaculture development. It is directly comparable because it enforces similar capture fisheries management, vessel licensing, and aquaculture oversight functions in a West African context.
• Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (Tanzania): Tanzania's national fisheries authority overseeing capture fisheries, aquaculture licensing, and MCS. It is a direct peer because it shares the Lake Victoria (51% Tanzanian) and Indian Ocean fisheries resources with KeFS and executes comparable regulatory functions.
• Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI): A Kenyan state corporation under the same ministry that conducts fisheries and aquaculture research. KMFRI is directly comparable because it is a sibling government body delivering scientific, technical, and advisory services to the same fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders KeFS regulates.
• Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS): A Kenyan state agency enforcing maritime law within Kenya's territorial waters and EEZ. KCGS is directly comparable because it co-enforces MCS operations with KeFS and shares joint patrol, boarding, and inspection responsibilities over fishing vessel activity.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Department of Fisheries (Nigeria): Nigeria's federal fisheries authority under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. It is a broad incumbent comparable because it regulates capture fisheries and aquaculture licensing and inspection across a national jurisdiction parallel to KeFS's mandate in Kenya.
• Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (South Africa): South Africa's national department overseeing fisheries management, aquaculture, and marine resources. It is a broad incumbent comparable because it executes the same fisheries regulatory mandate at a national scale, including licensing, monitoring, and compliance enforcement.

Regional players

• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS): A Kenyan state corporation managing wildlife conservation and protected areas. KWS is a regional comparable because it executes a similar government regulatory and enforcement mandate over natural resources within Kenya, sharing structural and institutional patterns with KeFS.

Others

• FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division: The UN Food and Agriculture Organization's global fisheries and aquaculture policy arm. It is an adjacent peer because KeFS is a current FAO partner receiving technical support on Port State Measures SOPs and NPOA-IUU, positioning KeFS as an implementing counterpart for FAO's global fisheries governance frameworks.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kefs_kenya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kenya-fisheries-service-kefs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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