(La Tribune) The volume of tuna catches in Algeria have significantly declined from 2010 to 2011, in the range of 34.77%. This was highlighted in the report of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, which was presented last Thursday during an evaluation meeting of the fishery sector.
On a more global note, the outcome shows that the national fish production reached 104 000 tons in 2011, which is up by 10% compared to 2010. In terms of species, the large pelagics, such as tuna and swordfish, recorded a volume decrease from 1,304 tons to 851 tons.
The issue regarding the need for reliable statistics on marine wildlife was raised during the evaluation meeting of the fishery sector. According to industry statistics, Algeria has 220 000 tons fish stocks in its waters, but is only fishing 180 000 tons per year on average. A gap which the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Mr. Abdallah Khanafou, recalled in his speech, “the credibility and accuracy” of statistics of the sector remain “dependent on the need for the establishment of national statistics”.
According to Khanafou, treating the data obtained to-date is important to help regulate the fishing effort and preserve the fisheries resources and fishing activities. “In this framework, the industry has initiated a technical cooperation project with FAO to establish the monitoring of social and economic fishing", Khanafou said. He also indicated that the fishing industry had given “strict instructions” to the administration to handle professional difficulties.