Fishing is one of the man’s oldest activities and has been practiced from the earliest ages. The word of fishing means activity of catching fish, while some people they use as sports. According to FAO report (2014) “Fish accounts for almost 17% of the global population’s intake of proteins”. Somalia has one of the longest coastlines in Africa combined from Red sea and Indian Ocean.
Fishing is one of the factors of production that the economy of the country can depends, but traditionally the Somali society’s lack of awareness with their fish caused to decrease the production level of the fish. So in this article, we will present the opportunities of the fishing sector, the situation of Somali fishing companies their equipment and challenges. We mentioned in the above, Somalia has the longest cost line in Africa. It has coastal waters which border both the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden which goods for biological productive due to the good climate that enables to live more organisms. According to researchers, the fish migration that takes place in Atlantic and Pacific regions meet at the tip corner of Somalia and that attracts fishing companies, but the fishing sector is undeveloped with an average annual GDP is 1%. So there are huge opportunities in fishing sector that can lead to the economy of the country’s growth and standard living of the society rises. This is appropriate ways that we can manage the resources of this sector, through: Fostering sustainable investment either lacally or international,
Getting Somali professional marine and fisheries to provide the young generation for basic fishing skills, Well trained and qualified employees that have physical and mental abilities to produce more Product, Proper equipment, either small scale or large scale, Obtaining source of information about fishing sector or other resources of the see for the fishers, investors and customers. Somalia has a few growing companies that work on fishing activities for the business purpose and they are not being able to export the fish.
Moreover, fish productions are limited to the coastal areas due to the poor transportation and they can’t delivery their products far places. Although, we have number of natural resources, which are good for fishing, but fewer companies and these industries, are trying to cover the demand of the society. The ministry of fisheries must give concentration, and provide assistant to the fishers in order to increase their product and create new enterprises that fosters the competition of this sector to improve the quality of the fish. During the civil war and the collapse of the state, infrastructures of the country were destroyed, including the fishing equipment that results limited access to fish for large portion of population. Somali fishers presently they uses small scale like safety equipment such as sunglasses, protect hat, and they wear appropriate cloths. The ocean and rivers in the country are good for biological production due to the good climate which enables more organisms to live, but there are more circumstances which is restricting to the level of fishing and the amount of the fish per given day. However, the below parts are the most challenges of fishing sector:
1) Low level of technology: the equipment’s under the disposal of the fishermen are few.
2) White shirt jobs: most youth they prefer working in office jobs instead of working fishing sector.
3) Lack of sustainable investment: the youth they have disappointment they do not have reliable investment if they try to develop the fishing. Also, they need to buy sophisticated boats, nets, motors, and GPS and all this equipment needs micro finance scheme. Lack of ready market: the poor transportation of Somalia reduces the possibility of getting fish for the population far away from where the fish caught. The fish is perishable foods and the local markets do not have refrigerators that keep the meat to be fresh. With regard to the downfall of our country made the fishing sector to be forgotten, but the emerging companies seem to have brought this sector to life. With more investment and organizational support may improve our techniques in fishing, which may lead to economic growth and stability. In conclusion it is important to motivate, and increase skills of our youth and other parts of the society to take part the development of this sector.
