Giant Freshwater prawn (GFP) is a species with production potential and that can be integrated with other farmed species to boost aquaculture production at the coast and nation at large . This necessitated an assessment study to understand the needs for GFP farming in Kilifi County. The study was undertaken in Kilifi County where data was obtained from fish farmers and fishermen.
75% of the fish farms are privately owned and 80 % of the farmers confirmed they have had less than 5 years of experience in fish farming. Of this, majorities (58.3%) of the fish farmers were male and all farmers (100%) were willing to farm GFP. Table 1 shows competency need to enable uptake of GFP and also strengthen gener al production in the county.
GFP landings have distinct seasonality patterns for; May, June and July are peaks for postlarvae, hence aquaculture may be the perfect alternative in provision of farmed prawn for existing demand . The main fishing ground in the county is near a river mouth. 100% of the GFP fishermen recorded that GFP is landed in mixed sizes (adults, postlarvae, beeried females) despite the fish mongers prefering large size due to customer preference.
F ishermen strongly agreed (100%,) that unpredictable weather patterns occasioned by drought was a major factor undermining development of GF P fishery trading, 50% of the fishermen agreed that flooding episonds caused by unpredictable weather condtions are affecting seed recruitment. Since the animal is an excellent alternative of the commercially important marine prawn, aquaclutre may come to brigdge the gap in supply and uplift the fishery nationalwide.