Blue Economy project – Fisheries and Aquaculture

The objective of the “Blue Economy– Fisheries and Aquaculture” project is to contribute to the economic development of Algeria by sustainably developing the blue economy, with a focus on the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. This is in line with the actions that the Algerian Government will need to launch for the implementation of the National Blue Economy Strategy (SNEB).

Financed by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), it will be conducted in the country’s 14 wilayas.

The project aims to address several societal, economic and environmental challenges related to the Algerian coast. They include the sustainable management of fisheries resources, the protection of marine ecosystems, social inclusion and coordination with other sectoral actions, as part of an integrated vision of the blue economy.

It is based on three areas which correspond to its three main objectives.

1. Support the creation of jobs, value and investment opportunities for coastal communities

• Stabilisation or increase in the incomes of economic actors in the country’s coastal areas, outside the fishing sector, by diversifying the activities of the blue economy, including aquaculture and throughout the value chain, through the creation of new services and/or activities, including for women
• Support for actors in research and innovation, so that they can contribute more to the development of the blue economy. A national research and development programme has been launched for marine biotechnologies, appropriate fishing techniques and to support the creation of innovative companies
• Integrated planning of maritime and coastal areas on the pilot sites, with a dedicated governance and tools
• Provision of training for public and private stakeholders in fishing and aquaculture, in line with the needs of the blue economy.

2. Improve the incomes and working conditions of small-scale fishermen

• Strengthening of professional structures
• Creation of increased and traced added value in the fishing sector
• Monitoring, support and management of small-scale fishing activities in Algeria, in line with the ministerial declaration on the action plan for small-scale fishing in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

3. Monitor, control and manage fishing nationwide

To achieve this objective, it is necessary to comply with the definitions and requirements for management and reporting to the regional regulatory bodies (CGPM, CICTA).

• Development of the administration’s Fisheries Information System (FIS), as well as the technical capacity and an appropriate legal framework to manage fisheries stocks, involving professionals to ensure there is an effective and shared monitoring of catches and production
• Monitoring, control and supervision of fishing activities in the regulated pilot areas, with a view to a future extension of these mechanisms to all the maritime areas in Algeria. The capacity to control and supervise activities, including for the fight against IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing, will be strengthened and initially tested in the new regulated fishing areas (RFA).