Dr James Mwaluma is a Chief Research scientist and Acting Director Oceans and Coastal Systems (DOCS) at KMFRI Headquarters Mombasa. He has scientific background in research spanning different spheres with specific research interest in marine zooplankton and fish larvae. He has participated in numerous multidisciplinary research within the institute and other institutions including universities, national and international research institutions through development of joint research initiatives and partnerships to enhance uptake of research activities in the Kenyan coast.

Administratively he is involved implementation of the institute’s management and policy documents including terms and conditions of service, scheme of service, research policy, intellectual property rights, ICT policy and interpret government guidelines and circulars through consultations in order to align the institute’s policies to national and international standards. Other administrative duties include, Research co-ordination in Directorates of Coastal and Ocean Systems which includes Fisheries & Oceanology & Hydrography programmes.  He is responsible for guiding research activities to ensure optimum use of the institute’s human and infrastructure capacity.

Currently he is working on identification of fish larvae from coastal and offshore waters from the projects he is involved in. In other programmes, he is involved in cage culture of rabbitfish and marine tilapia in Kilifi and Kwale, as well as promotion and adoption of new crab cages for fattening mud crabs with CBOs along the coast of Kenya.

Dr Mwaluma runs several projects in which he is the Principal Investigator such as

• Larval Fish Production and Dispersal in Critical Habitats of Coastal East Africa funded by WIOMSA .
• Design and optimisation of marine cage culture systems for rabbitfish and tilapia funded by National Research Fund (NRF).
• 1^st Marine Hatchery in Shimoni (NRF).
• Fish juvenile recruitment in coastal habitats of Western Indian Ocean.
• A Manual for identification of off-shore Fish Larvae from the Western Indian Ocean.

 Research Network: Research Gate

• Anyango, J.O, Mwatete C., and Mwaluma J (2017). Abundance, diversity and trophic status of wild fish around seaweed farms in Kibuyuni, south coast Kenya International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic sciences. 5 (3) 440-446
• Kosore C., Ojwang L., Maghanga J., Kamau J. Kimeli A.,Omukoto J., Ngisian'ge N, Mwaluma J. Onganda H.,Magori, C. and Ndirui E (2018). Occurrence and Ingestion of microplastics by zooplankton in Kenya's Marine environment : first documented evidence. Africa Journal of Marine Sciences 40: 3, 225-234
• Mwaluma J., Noah Ngisiange, Melckzedeck Osore, Joseph Kamau, Harrison Onganda, Joseph Kilonzi, Mike Roberts, Ekatarina Popova and Stuart C. Painter (2021).Assemblage structure and distribution of larval fish on the North Kenyan Banks during the South East Monsoon season. Oceans and Coastal sciences 212 (2021) 105800
• Mwaluma J. and Kaunda-Arara^., B (2021).Growth and survival of mud crab, Scylla serrata reared in bottom and floating cages within Mida creek mangroves, coastal Kenya Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management (AHEM) 24 (1) 27-34
• Joseph N. Kamau, Zoe L. Jacobs, Fatma Jebri, Stephen Kell, Edward Kimani, Amina Makori, James Mwaluma, Elizabeth Mueni, Harrison Onganda, Stuart C. Painter, Matthew Palmer, Ekaterina Popova, Michael J. Roberts,, Sarah F.W. Taylor, Juliane Wihsgott (2021). Managing environmental change within the emerging fisheries of the North Kenya Banks. Ocean and Coastal Management 209 (2021)

Books /Book chapters

• Mwaluma J., Mirera D., Wainaina M., Mukami M., Wairimu E., Wanjiru C., Anyango, J. Ogelo E.,and Nyonje B.(2017) Coastal Aquaculture in Kenya. In State of Aquaculture in Kenya Report 2017. (Eds) Munguti J., Obiero, K., Mwaluma J., Mirera D., Ochiewo J., Kairo J., and Njiru J.M State of Aquaculture in Kenya. Laxpress Services, Nairobi Kenya. 133p
• Mwaluma, J.M, (2018) Primary and secondary productivity (Eds) Njiru JM, Ruwa RK, Kimani EN, Ong’anda HO, Okemwa GM and Osore MK The RV Mtafiti : Marine Research towards food security and Economic development in Kenya. KMFRI 102pp.
• Kosore C., Ojwang L., Maghanga J., Kamau J., Kimeli A., Omukoto J., Ngisiange N., Mwaluma J., Ong’anda H. Magori C. and Kimani E. (2018). Microplastic pollution: documented evidence in Kenya’s marine waters. In The RV Mtafiti Marine Research Towards Food security and Economic Development in Kenya (Eds) Njiru JM, Ruwa RK,Kimani EN, Ong’anda HO, Okemwa GM and Osore MK The RV Mtafiti : Marine Research towards food security and Economic development in Kenya. KMFRI 102pp.
• Kimathi A., Mirera D., Mwaluma J., Wainaina M., Ntabo J. and Wairimu E (2018) Seaweed farming industry in Kenya: tapping into the Blue Economy and mitigating climate change impacts. KMFRI Mariculture publications no. 001/2018
• Mwaluma J., Mirera D., Wairimu E., Wainaina M.,and Kimathi A (2018). Mud crab farming policy brief-2.-Improving livelihoods through mud crab farming in coastal Kenya; Research innovations for food security and livelihoods. KMFRI Mariculture publications no. 002/2018.
• Mwaluma J., Mirera D., Magondu E., Mukami M., Wainaina M., Nyabeta J., Kimathi A. and Wanjiru C., (2020) Marine and coastal Aquaculture: Production, Status and Prospects. In State of Aquaculture in Kenya 2020. Towards Nutrition Sensitive Fish Food Systems. (Eds) Munguti J., Obiero, K., Musa S., Mwaluma J., Orina, P., Opiyo M., Kyule D., Mirera D., and Ochiewo J. (Eds) (2020). State of Aquaculture Report 2020: Towards Nutrition Sensitive Fish Food Systems. Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombasa, Kenya July 2020.
• Mwaluma J., Mirera D., Magondu E., Mukami M., Wainaina M., Holeh G.,Nyabeta J., Kimathi A. and Wanjiru C., (2021) Marine and coastal Aquaculture: Production, Status and Prospects. In State of Aquaculture Report 2021. Towards Nutrition Sensitive Fish Food Systems (Eds) Munguti J., Obiero, K., Musa S., Mwaluma J., Orina, P., Mirera D., Mwaluma J, Kyule D., Musa S., Opiyo M., Ochiewo J., Ogello E., Njiru J., Haiwara A.
• Orina P., Kembenya E., Opiyo M., Wainaina M., Ondiba R., Abwao J., Nyabeta J and Mwaluma J. (2021).Fish seed sector: Genetic breeding and reproduction technologies. In State of Aquaculture Report 2021. Towards Nutrition Sensitive Fish Food Systems (Eds) Munguti J., Obiero, K., Musa S., Mwaluma J., Orina, P., Mirera D., Mwaluma J, Kyule D., Musa S., Opiyo M., Ochiewo J., Ogello E., Njiru J., Haiwara A.
• Mwaluma J (2021)  Aquaculture investments under KCDP and opportunities for the coastal In (Eds Ruwa, Uku Osore Mwangi). The Kenya Coastal Development Project: Lessons learned implementing a multidisciplinary project (in press)
• Mwaluma J (2021) National Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis (MEDA). UNDP/GEF ASCLME Project (in press)