The absence of reliable, real-time data on SSF activities makes it difficult to assess fishing pressure, understand spatial use patterns, detect illegal or unreported fishing, and enforce marine spatial regulations.

Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) in Kenya play a pivotal role in the socio-economic well-being of coastal communities and are integral to the nation’s contribution to the global Blue Economy. SSFs account for over 95% of the country’s fishing fleet and contribute significantly to food security, employment, and cultural identity. However, these fisheries are increasingly strained by rising fishing pressure, overexploitation, and inadequate fisheries management tools. As demand for fish continues to grow, so does the number of SSF vessels and fishing effort, intensifying competition for marine resources and threatening ecosystem sustainability. Globally, Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) systems such as Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) have proven effective in industrial fisheries by enabling real-time tracking, improved compliance, and better spatial management of marine resources. In Kenya, while such systems have been successfully implemented in the industrial sector, SSF vessels, which are typically under 20 meters in length and operate close to shore, remain largely untracked and unmanaged. This lack of visibility hampers efforts to ensure sustainable resource use, safety at sea, and effective governance. The absence of reliable, real-time data on SSF activities makes it difficult to assess fishing pressure, understand spatial use patterns, detect illegal or unreported fishing, and enforce marine spatial regulations. Furthermore, it limits the ability to align fishing practices with marine protected area (MPA) regulations and undermines efforts to promote traceability and accountability across the seafood value chain. There is an urgent need to establish a transparent, inclusive, and affordable digital tracking system tailored to the unique dynamics of SSF in Kenya. Implementing the Pelagic Data System (PDS), a proven low-cost, tamper-proof, solar-powered tracking solution, offers a viable opportunity to close this data gap. PDS devices can autonomously collect high-resolution spatial data, linking fishing effort with landing data to improve the understanding of fisheries status, optimize fishing strategies, and enhance fisher safety. Additionally, they support full ocean-to-consumer traceability and are interoperable with existing supply chain tools, thus strengthening the governance, equity, and market access of small-scale fishers.