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<span>Dr. David Mirera</span>
Scientist

Dr. David Mirera

Chief Scientist

Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
 
Senior Research Scientist
Assistant Director – Mariculture R&D
 
Mariculture Innovations & Development
Mud Crab Farming • Milkfish • Marine Cage Design • Community Mariculture
 

Email: dmirera@kmfri.go.ke Email: dimirera@yahoo.com

 
Current Role & Experience
Assistant Director – Mariculture Research & Development, KMFRI
Coordinator – Coastal Aquaculture Round Table Platform (CART) Secretariat
Earth System Governance Task Force on Ocean Governance – Aquaculture Lead
Academic Qualifications
PhD in Science – Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden (Feb 2014)
MSc in Natural Resource Management – Egerton University, Kenya (July 2007)
BSc Fisheries and Aquaculture – Moi University, Kenya (Dec 2000)
Professional Affiliations
WIOMSA • World Aquaculture Society • SARNISSA • NEMA Registered EIA Expert • Reviewer for multiple international journals (WIO JMS, Ocean & Coastal Management, Aquaculture Research, etc.)
Leadership Focus: Driving mariculture innovation and community-based coastal aquaculture development, advancing policy frameworks, and strengthening food security through sustainable marine farming in Kenya and the Western Indian Ocean region.
 

Dr. David Mirera is a Senior Research Scientist at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) and currently serves as the Assistant Director in charge of Mariculture Research and Development. Dr. Mirera has significant experience in coastal aquaculture research and development in Kenya and the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Region.

He coordinates the Coastal Aquaculture Round Table Platform (CART) Secretariat and participated in the taskforce that developed the 1st aquaculture policy for Kenya. He is widely recognized as the brainchild of community mariculture development in Kenya through milkfish and mud crab farming, pioneering approaches that integrate local communities into sustainable marine farming.

Dr. Mirera has been engaged in several mariculture innovations, research and development interventions, including providing expert assessment of the suitability of mud crab farming in Seychelles, assessment of the potential of mariculture development in Kenya, and evaluation of the level of implementation of mariculture and fisheries interventions and collaboration between the United Republic of Tanzania and FAO.

 
Research Interests & Specializations
Aquaculture Innovation Culture Systems Feed Nutrition Marine Fish Breeding Training & Extension Monitoring & Evaluation EIA
 
Key Innovations & Achievements
  • Brainchild of community mariculture development in Kenya – Pioneered milkfish and mud crab farming with local coastal communities
  • Development of drive-in cages for mud crab cages – Innovative cage design for efficient mud crab fattening
  • Fabrication of innovated plastic cages for mud crab fattening – Durable and cost-effective cage systems
  • Design and development of simple marine earthen ponds regulated naturally by tides – Low-cost, sustainable pond systems
  • Introduction of freshwater Nile tilapia into marine waters – Expanding aquaculture species options for coastal farmers
  • Discovery of the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobranchium rosenbergii) in Kenya – New species for aquaculture diversification
  • Taskforce member – Developed the 1st aquaculture policy for Kenya
  • Kenyan representative – African Research Network for Marine Aquaculture (AFriMAQUA) project
 
Current Running Projects
  • WIOMSA-MASMA Program – BLUEGRASI (2020–2022) – Blue Growth Initiative through Farming of Silver Pompano and Rabbit Fish for Food Security and Improved Livelihood in East Africa (in partnership with Institute of Marine Science, Zanzibar)
  • EPSRC (UK) – Food security and Health for East Africa: Reducing human Schistosomiasis through farming of Macrobranchium rosenbergii (in collaboration with St. Andrews University, UK)
  • National Research Fund (2019–2021) – Development and establishment of a Marine Hatchery in Shimoni, Kwale County, Kenya
  • Swedish Research Council (2018–2021) – Investigating the driving forces and spread of antibiotic resistance: the case of marine aquaculture in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (in partnership with Goteborg University, Sweden)
  • AfriMaQUA (2021–2022) – Evaluation of growth performance of hatchery cultured juvenile Siganus sutor using marine algae feed and commercial tilapia feed
 
Publications & Scholarly Contributions
Over 24 peer-reviewed papers – Published in different aspects of marine science including mariculture, ecology, fisheries, community development, conservation, and socio-economics.
Book Chapters – Contributing author to State of Aquaculture Report in Kenya 2021 (Chapter on Marine and Coastal Aquaculture; Chapter on Aquaculture Research and Training) and State of Aquaculture in Kenya 2017 (Chapter on Coastal Aquaculture in Kenya).
Mentorship & Academic Service – Mentor and supervisor of several MSc students from different universities; External examiner to three universities in Kenya; Proposal reviewer for British Ecological Society grants; Reviewer for several international journals and Indian Ocean Commission biodiversity project.
Dr. David Mirera's leadership as Assistant Director of Mariculture Research and Development at KMFRI brings unparalleled expertise in coastal aquaculture innovation, community-based mariculture development, and policy formulation – strengthening the Institute's capacity to pioneer new farming systems, develop affordable and sustainable cage and pond technologies, introduce novel species for aquaculture diversification, mentor the next generation of marine scientists, coordinate regional mariculture platforms, and advance Kenya's blue economy agenda through evidence-based mariculture research and development.
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