Somaliland: Developing Sustainable Fisheries

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Partnering important international organizations, the Somaliland Ministry of Fisheries will focus on developing its vital but underdeveloped sector, by focusing on sustainable fisheries management strategies.

 

Below is an article published by Somalilandpress:

 

Somaliland Minister of Fisheries and Marine resources Hon Abdillahi Jama Osman (Geeljire) today [20 September 2012] opened a one day conference on how to develop commercial fishing in the country in partnership with the World Bank and Other Major UN Organizations.

 

In his opening speech the Minister of Fisheries told representatives from the World Bank, F.A.O.WFP, UNDP, that we called you here today to share with you information as partners so as to find ways to develop this vital but underdeveloped sector.

 

The Minister of Fisheries told the representative of present organizations that there was a need to develop a working methodology between his Ministry, World Bank, UN and other Major organization so as to find ways to develop this sector. Hon Geeljire said that in the past, we have had numerous engagements with representatives of Major organizations of which we presented our case in an effort to secure their support in developing this vital economical sector but to our disappointment we only got promises instead of commitments.

 

The drivers of our economy is our natural resources, out of the four natural resources that exist in this country fisheries is the least developed, despite having a coastline which stretch more than 850km there’s is no any commercial fishing although at times there are instances of few commercial ships been awarded fishing licenses and as far as somalilanders are concerned there are no commercial fishing companies whatsoever, said Dr. Sacad Ali Shire.

 

After accessing the potential of developing fishing activates in the country for the last month starting in Saylac ,Bulhar and Berbera we found that the infrastructure that supports commercial fishing to be almost non- excitant in this coastal areas hence with the need to develop this sector .

 

With little or no suitable infrastructure in the three major ports of the country to support commercial fishing, much is needed to be done to develop this sector so as to realize the full potential of utilizing this natural resource. It is useful to distinguish the fishing sectors by means of characteristics such as the main use of resource, income level, needs met by resources, locality of harvest, who does the harvesting, gear used, origin of the fishery and value of the resource ,said the Minister of National Planning.

 

The Minister of National Planning Dr.Sacad Ali Shire said coastal communities in the country lacked the capability to develop commercial fishing which in turn results for them to stick to their “traditional fisheries methods involving fishing households (as opposed to commercial companies), using relatively small amount of capital and energy, relatively small fishing vessels (if any), making short fishing trips, close to shore, mainly for local consumption.

 

Dr. Sacad Ali Shire said that it was time to develop sustainable fisheries management strategies, which include fishing quotas that dedicate a secure share of fish to individual fishermen, co-operatives, Facilities for fishing communities for their exclusive use.