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Fishing for success – Algeria expanding domestic production

Friday, 19 November 2010 12:02

With a view to expanding domestic production and reducing Algeria’s dependence on imports, the government has set ambitious goals for the industry over the next four years. These include estimating available fish stocks, conserving resources, modernising the fishing fleet, adapting to climate change, preserving artisanal fisheries and improving training methods, reports Global Arab Network according to OBG.

Administrators, professionals, scientists and associations recently gathered at a national conference on fisheries and fishery resources in Algiers in mid-October to assess the sector’s performance over and explore strategies for future development. Speaking at the conference, Abdullah Khanafou, minister of fishing and fishing resources, called for a bigger national role for the sector.

According to Khanafou, the country’s fishing resources remain underutilised, with only 145,000 tonnes caught annually from an available stock of 222,000 tonnes. He said Algeria’s annual quota for tuna – set at 1100 tonnes by the International Commission for the Conservation of Tuna – had not been reached.

The national fishing industry has access to 1,280 kilometres of coastline, and boasts 30 fishing ports and a fleet of around 4,500 fishing boats. As such, it holds significant potential for the economy. Its development, however, remains dependent on the government’s ability to protect fish stocks and improve technical expertise.

In order to modernise the sector, the Ministry of Fishing and Fishing Resources (Ministère de la Pêche et des Ressources Halieutiques, MPRH) has outlined plans to repair fishing boats, acquire modern fishing equipment and set up pilot fish farms. The government has also promised to build 13 wholesale markets. At the conference, it was announced that three such markets were nearing completion. The objective of this program is to monitor fish quality, collect production data and organise the market.

The sector has already benefitted from state funds, having received AD26bn (€248.3m) for the purchase of new fishing vessels. As a result of these new additions, the average age of an Algerian fishing boat has declined from 20 to 12 years. However, because the government believes that the boat capacity is now sufficient to meet the sector’s needs, this program has been suspended.

The government has also considered banning the export of certain fish to increase domestic supply and reduce prices. In an appearance on National Radio, Khanafou voiced his intention to ban exports of certain species, including sardines. He did qualify, however, that “the export of high value species may be retained and compensated by the import of mass consumption species.”

Algeria has also turned to aquaculture – the farming of fish and seafood – to increase local supply. To encourage private sector investment in aquaculture production, the MRPH is carrying out market surveys to identify suitable sites (450 have been identified so far) and granting subsidies within the framework of the national fund for fishing and aquaculture development. Although 12 state-funded aquaculture projects have been launched, their viability has been threatened by the high cost of feed that farm operators must import. In response, the government has plans to reduce customs duties and the VAT rate for imports of fish feed, as specified in the draft budget law for 2011. In addition, the MPRH is conducting a pilot project for the manufacture of fish feed.

Another obstacle to domestic consumption is the excessive price of fish, often a result of smuggling, illegal fishing and transactions made by middle-men between producers and consumers. Combating these phenomena, the government expects, will place downward pressure on prices. In response, the government has set up 13 wholesale fish markets to monitor the quantity of fish caught and called on the coastguard to crack down on illegal fishing.

At a time when the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has stressed the importance of aquaculture – in October it referred to the industry as the “fastest growing food sector in the world”, Algeria’s attempt to boost its fishing sector are timely. However, the government needs to maintain financial and legislative support to ensure that the industry’s continued growth.

Global Arab Network

This article is published in partnership with Oxford Business Group

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Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 14:02

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