Will The New Large-Scale Aquaculture Projects Make Egypt Self Sufficient In Fish Supplies?

Year 2018, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 31 - 41, 23.01.2018

Izzat Feidi

Abstract

The
first modern semi-intensive commercial farm was built by the Government in
1961. FAO fisheries statistics for 2015 indicate that of the Egyptian total
production from all sources 1.2 million tonnes (78%) are from aquaculture.
Furthermore, the fisheries trade statistics show a negative balance of trade as
Egypt imported in 2015 almost 500 000 tonnes of seafood commodities at the cost
of US $ 768.4 million while exporting only
about 32 900 tonnes valued at US $
31.7 million causing a drain on hard currencies as well as the prices of
seafood commodities in the local markets increased substantially. With a
population rapidly increasing reaching 104 million people in 2017, low
employment, rising fish prices, increasing imports of seafood commodities and
other serious developmental activities, the Government decided to embark on
large-scale integrated fin fish and shrimp aquaculture projects which aim at becoming
self-sufficient, minimize imports, job creation, reduce seafood prices in the
local market and export high value species to earn hard currencies. Two such
major projects were recently established: One at Birkat Ghalioun in the
Egyptian Nile Delta region along the Mediterranean Sea and the other is along
the East Suez Canal zone. The question remains, however, if these two mega
projects, when fully implemented, along with other small-scale aquaculture
projects across Egypt would actually achieve the developmental objectives these
projects promise as well as reduce prices of fish to local consumers?

Keywords

Aquaculture; Eygpt

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