The Status of Mangrove Exploitation and Trade along the Kenyan Coastline

Abstract

Exploitation of mangroves in Kenya is controlled by the Forest Department through the licensing of users and subsequent supervision of harvesting and removal of the produce. Marketing of the produce is undertaken by the licensees and individual traders; the department has a role through the issuance of movement permits. The state is the only stakeholder who invests in the conservation and management of forest resources in-spite of the benefits accruing to the other stakeholders. In view of this, there is need to look at ways of easing this burden from the government through decentralisation and devolution of some of the activities and powers respectively to the other stakeholders