The government through an amendment to the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, of 2013, is seeking to start rolling out compensation for injuries or deaths caused by fish.
Although the plans have been mooted for long, the conversation was rekindled in Parliament on Wednesday, February 14, after Lamu East MP Ruweida Mohammed tabled The Wildlife Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for first reading.
If passed by Parliament and signed into law by President William Ruto, the Kenya Wildlife Service will include certain species of fish in its compensation list.
“The principal object of this Bill is to include sharks, stone fish, whales and sting rays among the wildlife species in respect of which compensation as a result of death and injury may be paid,” the Bill reads in part.
According to Ruweida, this will ensure that persons who live along water bodies are entitled to payment of compensation for injuries or deaths caused by the specified species.
As it stands, KWS only compensates Kenyans who have been killed or injured by seven wild animals.
These include; elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, hyenas, crocodiles, cheetahs and buffalo.
Once amended, sharks, stonefish, whales and stings will be added to the compensation list immediately after the buffalo.
Apart from compensating Kenyans or their families in the event of an injury, KWS also compensates parties when wild animals destroy their crops and property.
KWS does not pay for damage caused by all wildlife.The list is confined to damage caused by; elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, hyenas, crocodiles, cheetahs, buffaloes, hippos, zebras, elands, wildebeests and snake wild dogs.
The Bill does not anticipate any species of fish causing damage to crops and property or preying on livestock.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, the National Government used Ksh908 million to compensate Kenyans killed, injured and their property destroyed by wildlife in 2023.
