Documenting fisheries-related Indigenous Knowledge and its uses in Lamu County to inform management

Indigenous knowledge (IK) remains central to artisanal coastal communities' livelihoods, fisheries governance, and ecological stewardship in Kenya, yet its role within formal marine fisheries management remains inadequately documented. This study examined the application of indigenous fisheries knowledge by local fisherfolk and their perceptions of its relevance to formal fisheries management within five communities in Lamu County: Faza, Kizingitini, Siyu, Kiwayuu, and Amu. A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed involving household surveys (n = 114), key informant interviews (n = 12), and focus group discussions (n = 10). Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively; qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Widespread IK application was documented in locating fishing grounds, predicting ocean conditions, fish handling and preservation, vessel maintenance, and identifying seasonal fish movements. Fishers relied on environmental indicators - wind trajectory, cloud formation, tidal patterns, bird movements, lunar cycles, and ocean currents, to guide fishing activities, navigation, and safety at sea. Traditional gears and preservation techniques, including basket traps, sun-drying, smoking, and natural materials, were perceived as relatively sustainable. Across five IK domains (environmental indicators, species-specific ecological knowledge, traditional gear and vessel construction, preservation techniques, and sea-safety practices), parental apprenticeship was the predominant transmission pathway, with active fishers retaining the richest meteorological and habitat-location knowledge and female processors demonstrating distinct IK clusters centred on post-harvest handling. Respondents perceived IK to be declining due to modernization, technological change, weak institutional recognition, and limited documentation. Most participants supported IK integration into formal fisheries management through co-management frameworks, community decision-making, seasonal closures, fisheries monitoring, and locally grounded conservation measures. The study demonstrates that indigenous fisheries knowledge constitutes an important socio-ecological asset for community-based fisheries governance, marine conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable blue economy development along the Kenyan coast. Greater institutional recognition, documentation, and policy integration of IK are therefore recommended.