In November 1963, the Government of Kenya requested the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to provide an expert under the Expanded Program of Technical Assistance to carry out a fisheries survey under the following terms of reference:
“to undertake an economic and marketing survey of the fisheries of Lakes Rudolf, Baringo and Naivasha, and Victoria as well as the main riverine and coastal inshore fisheries, and to advise the Government on measures to be taken to ensure that maximum economic production from these fisheries is reached as soon as possible.
In the source of his assignment, the expert was to:
study previously prepared reports and other literature on the fisheries of Kenya and the East African lakes;
visit the three lakes, Rudolf, Baringo and Naivasha, for discussions with officers of government departments concerned with fisheries projects and other people interested in the development of the resources of these lakes; evaluate information and appraise the suitability of presently employed fishing, training and marketing methods;
visit the Nyanza Region for discussions on the Lake Victoria fishery; evaluate existing information on fish production and fish marketing facilities and observe implementation of the Domestic Inland Schemes in the Nyanza/Western Regions;
visit briefly the main riverine fisheries - on the Nzoia, Yala, Sabaki and Tana;
visit the Coast Region for discussions with Government officers and review the existing situation of the marine fisheries in the light of developments since the publication of FAO/EPTA Report No.990 on The Sea Fisheries of Kenya;
prepare a report on the results of the survey including recommendations of such measures as may prove necessary to provide facilities on Lake Rudolf and elsewhere, as well as to ensure that economic development of the lake fisheries takes place as rapidly as possible.
If these recommendations were to involve capital expenditures, the report should also indicate the amount of proposed expenditures and the sources from which financial assistance might be sought.”
Mr. D.H. Rhodes of the United Kingdom, formerly Chief Fisheries Officer, Fisheries Department, Uganda, was assigned as expert for a period of five months. He assumed his duties in Kenya on 4 March, 1965. On arrival, he was requested by Mr. A.P. Achieng, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources, to examine, in addition to his other duties, the administrative structure of the Fisheries Department of Kenya and to make recommendations for its improvement, as well as to comment on the fisheries development plans which were in the process of being drawn up for inclusion in the overall development plan of Kenya for the period 1965–1970. The inclusion of these additional responsibilities in his terms of reference was agreed with FAO Headquarters.
The expert was off duty for several weeks as a result of illness and, although he managed to visit all of the main fishing areas and markets, he was unable to examine certain problems in as much detail as he would have wished.
The expert wishes to acknowledge the considerable help given to him in the conduct of his survey by the Chief Fisheries Officer for Kenya, Mr. C.E.P. Watson, the Senior Fisheries Development Officer, Mr. A.P.J. Holness, and by the field and headquarters members of the Fisheries Department's staff. He also is grateful for the unfailing assistance he received from the Hon. S.O. Ayodo, Minister for Natural Resources, the Permanent Secretary of his Ministry, Mr. A.P. Achieng, and the many other local and central government officers with whom he came into contact in the course of his assignment. The fishermen, fishmongers, fish processors and other people interested in the fishery industry readily provided information and their co-operation was always available and thoroughly appreciated by the expert.
