EAG FISHERY & SEAFOOD SERVICE

Somalia has 3,333Km of the coastline of which 2,000Km is in the Indian Ocean south of Cape Guardafui and 1,333Km of the north shore of Gulf of Aden. The continental shelf is narrow, varying in width between 5Km and 15Km except for a 135Km stretch in the Northeast where its width average is 70Km.

The abundance of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton suggests that Somalia has some of the continent’s major fishery stock.  Surveys indicate a high potential for fisheries development with evenly distributed fish stocks along the entire coastline, but with greater concentration in the Northeast.On the northern coast, the traditional fishery zone extends to the 200m limit some 10Km seaward.  On the Indian Ocean, the fishery zone is limited by the continental shelf.

The climate in the coastline regions is hot and humid.  The average temperature varies from 27oc to 30oc along the east coast and can rise to above 40c at times on the north coast. The fishery seasons are governed by two monsoon winds, the southwest monsoon from June to September and northeast monsoon from December to March and two inter-monsoon periods during April/May and October/November.

According to a number of fisheries resources surveys were carried out by various organizations such as the White Fish Authority (WFA), FAO research vessel Dr. F. Nonsen, Romanian Experimental fishery, World Bank, and the Spanish Stock Assessment expedition.

The potential catch in the Somali water has been estimated of 200,000 ton/year without endangering the stock, out of which only 21,000 tons have been extracted per year, i.e. 6,000 tons of fish and 200 tons of lobster were produced by the in-shore artisanal sector, while 14,800 tons composed mainly of pelagic fish were produced by industrial deep-sea fishery fleet.

The fishery industry – although most important to coastal communities, where it is estimated that more than 30,000 people were actively engaged on a full-time basis – contributed only 2% to the GNP. The total yearly exports (1985 – 1990) were valued at approximately US$15million.

1. Objectives

• To upgrade the capability of the Fishermen and advance fishery services Maintain and uphold the ethics of the agronomist in Somalia
• To restore the fishery research stations and related sections Environmental preservation and its development.
• To establish relation and cooperation with other professional Fishery Trading & Seafood Companies in the region and sharing and exchanging scientific findings and fishery information
• To safeguard the rights and professional interest of its members
• To provide a venue for information exchange to the members
• Nature of the EAG fishery & seafood service is a professional, which is:

A political Profit Not tribal or clan-based