By: Yahya Jarallah

SANA'A, March 30 (Saba)- The Fund of Agricultural and Fisheries Production (FAFP) has allocated $5 million to support fish projects in the country, Deputy Minister of Fisheries Wealth Abdul-Hadi al-Khadir said.

In an interview with Saba, al-Khadir said that the ministry is to hold negotiations with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to set up infrastructure projects for fishermen in Taiz, Lahj, and Socotra Archipelago at $25 million.

He affirmed that fisheries wealth of the country is considered as an alternative for oil in Yemen as it is a renewable wealth.

In spite of having 2500Km of coastline, no one right now knows the volume of this wealth, he said, "no study has been done on Yemeni waters since 1980s".

He made clear that such a study to know fisheries reserve needs for huge funds and capabilities, saying that the ministry asked for conducting such a study to invest in this wealth efficiently, complaining from lowness of the budget of the ministry.

Regarding plans of the ministry, al-Khadir said that the ministry has prepared a set of measures to carry out several investment infrastructure projects in the fisheries sector.

Currently, the ministry is working to finalize legislations and restructure this sector as well as establishing a general board for fisheries research and studies, he said.

He added that the ministry is also working to improve living standard of the fishermen by setting up further services projects and supplying them with required tools to enhance their fishing activities to increase their production as well.

Al-Khadar indicated to certain projects funded by donors in this sector such as strategic project of 5th Fish Project which is funded by World Bank and European Union at $ 32 million. The objective of this project is to get better infrastructure in country's coastline and set up good fishing grounds, he said.

Al-Khadar confirmed that the ministry surveyed all targeted locations to set up the project starting from Maidi in Hajjah governorate to Hawf in Maharah governorate in coordination with the local authorities and the administration of the project.

The tender of rehabilitating the Hodeidah Port has been announced at sum of $ 3 million, but visit of vice president of the World Bank to the port resulted in increasing this sum up to $ 5 million, he added.

According to the deputy minister, the tender includes carrying out a fisheries complex in Khobah region in the governorate as well as setting up other fishing projects in coastline across the country.

As for as obstacles facing the sector are concerned, the deputy minister said that the bylaw of Law No. 2 for 2006 has not been done, in addition to bylaws of other sea inspection and monitoring agreements.

In his comments of reaction of fishermen to recent decision to ban fishing squid,al-Khadar said: "we call on workers in the Sea Sciences Authority to differentiate between geography of Red Sea and Arab Sea and make certain studies over banning such kinds of fish."

He confirmed that the current time is good to fish squid, in addition to other kinds of fishes.

Al-Khadir urged all offices of the ministry and other concerned bodies like the coastguard and naval forces to arrest any one breaches the law of fishing and damages sea environment.

Regarding investments in fisheries sector, al-Khadir said:"there are many companies and labs across the country working in fisheries sector as well as three factories of tuna." In my personal opinion, the process of the investment in Yemen still needs for taking directives of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to activate the system of one window in investment process and coordination of the local authority to offer lands for the investment projects as well a finishing laws that better investment environment in the country.

At the end of the interview, al-Khadir affirmed the importance of gathering efforts of all such as ministries of finance and planning in addition to the ministry of fisheries wealth to develop this key sector which brings a lot of money for the national economy.

AH/AM