We conducted a socio-economic assessment in nine coastal communities in Kenya to identify key socio-economic factors affecting inshore coral reef fisheries. Communities varied considerably in regards to their dependence on marine resources. Smaller communities had more than 60% of households engaged in the fishery, but the proportion of fishers was relatively small in the communities close to highly urbanized areas. Households that fished generally ranked fishing as their most important occupation.\ud
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There was an array of marine resource governance structures either instituted or in development at the study sites. Four communities bordered established marine protected areas\ud
(MPA) and two communities bordered a proposed MPA, and the level of appreciation of protected areas was lowest near the established areas. Despite legal prohibitions, a large\ud
proportion of fishers at one site adjacent to each established MPA engaged in destructive fishing methods, particularly beach seining. There was poor understanding of the factors that influence fisheries and the means to improve them and the marine environment
