In cooperation with the Kenya Wildlife Service, the YoD has launched a patrol boat to monitor activities of fishermen and dolphin watchers on the Kenyan coast.

In recognition of the important roles boat operators depending on dolphin watching tourism and fishermen depending on fishing resources to sustain their families have with regard to the conservation of dolphins, the YoD Kenya seeks to engage these target groups in sustainable and responsible practices through education and support.

The boat operators and fishermen should, in recognition of their impacts, consciously adopt the principles of sustainable fishing and responsible dolphin watching practices, thereby ensuring their livelihoods in a long-term way. This led to the formulation of the Kenya dolphin watching code, which was sanctioned by the Kenya Wildlife Service. It now is the standard dolphin watching guide in Kenya for boat operators.

The fishermen, who are members of the Beach Management Units as legislated by the Kenya Government Act, are required to engage in sustainable utilization of fisheries resources, curtailment of destructive fishing methods through use of appropriate fishing gear and full participation the co-management structures.

To ensure implementation of these principles, the Kenya Wildlife Service offered a decommissioned boat to monitor the activities and practices of the boat operators and fishermen. With funds donated to YoD Kenya by TUI, partner to UNEP/CMS in the global Year of the Dolphin campaign, the boat was repaired and refurbished at a cost of €1000. Branded as the Year of the Dolphin boat, it was then launched by the Executive Secretary of CMS, Robert Hepworth under the name Pomboo (Swahili for dolphin).

The patrol boat will be used by the Kenya Wildlife Service to enforce the dolphin watching code of conduct, and to monitor and carry out surveillance on the fishermen practices.