Discover Algeria | About us | Press area | Contact

Mebarek Malek Serraï, economist: "The investment code is very favourable to fishing".

In this interview, international economic expert Mebarek Malek Serraï discusses the reasons for the lack of progress in the fishing sector, based on his experience in the field. He recommends organizing study days led by specialists to better understand the real problems in the sector.

Algeria Invest

Legal Notices | Terms of Services

Algeria-Eco: To meet the growing demand for seafood products while ensuring the sustainability of the industry, the Ministry of Fishing is launching an action plan focused on sustainable development, which includes the development of fishing activities on the high seas and aquaculture. Is this a good strategy?

Mr Serrai: Human development in Algeria is undergoing a positive change, so we are seeing a clear qualitative and quantitative increase in food consumption.

There is also a radical change in the range of ready meals and their composition. The consumption of seafood, and therefore fish, is increasing and improving in quality. Numerous studies carried out by specialized organizations confirm this situation in our country.

Unfortunately, the efforts made by successive governments over the last 30 years have not been able to cope with this speed and scale of growth. The deficit is real and supply is less than demand, hence the excessive prices practised on the market, to the great dismay of citizens with low purchasing power, aggravated by inflation of over 6 to 8%.

In addition, there is always a big difference between the declared capacities and the quantities put on the market, because there is traffic on the high seas and on the Spanish coasts, where fish with a high market value is transferred, especially to Spanish women. I would like to take this opportunity to praise and thank the Coast Guard for its excellent contribution to limiting illegal transfers on the high seas.

Algeria has more than doubled the number of fishing vessels, with 11 large deep-sea vessels under construction, but production is still at 100,000 tons. What's the problem?

Some fishermen need a dose of education, training, and economic nationalism to reduce fish trafficking.

My scientific experience with the World Bank and the DND Naval Forces a few years ago allowed me to assess the national fishing potential upwards through scientific applications adapted to this activity of fishing and the protection and renewal of our fishing heritage.

The sustainable development of aquatic production is more than necessary. The investment code is very favourable to the fishing sector, but some banks are still very reluctant to invest in this sector, in particular, because of some experiences of bankruptcy and misappropriation of funds earmarked for industrial projects related to fishing.

I recommend once again the organization of study days be led by dedicated professionals and not by tired and sometimes corrupt bureaucrats who have parasitised the heritage sector of excellence for all the people. The President's guidelines are clear and noble, and they must be applied scientifically and with the utmost urgency.

Is aquaculture an essential activity to meet the growing demand for seafood?

Of course, it is. This activity makes it possible to meet the growing demand for seafood products and even the ambition to achieve interesting production volumes in the coming years.

Aquaculture also helps to increase the number of potential jobs in the market, both by providing new products for the market and by creating employment opportunities through the labour required to maintain the pools and harvest the cultured organisms.

The introduction of fish farming on farms is also beneficial to farmers, given the benefits of reduced fertiliser use. This year, we can expect strong dynamics in the sector, thanks to the country's potential, the supervision and the conditions created for the development of the sector.

What do you think about the revival of red coral fishing?

Red coral fishing is subject to well-established national and international regulatory and scientific conditions. Algeria, which is one of the international organizations in charge of the sector, respects the international laws in force.

The fishing and exploitation of red coral (Corallium Rubrum) is considered a significant economic activity in certain countries such as the United States, and Italy... In Algeria, it is also important in terms of fishing, the environment, agriculture, tourism, finance, crafts, employment, etc.

Our natural potential for red coral is very real, given that our coastline and its reefs of almost 1,260 km, with often shady rocky bottoms, are generally little polluted and have good temperatures even in winter.

This red GOLD of the Mediterranean has an excellent quality reference. It is actively sought after by professionals, especially Americans and Italian industrialists from Naples (World Centre for Red Coral Processing in the small town of "EL TORRE DEL GRECO").

From our point of view, this natural red gold, which develops slowly (between 5 and 20 years) in our marine environment, is very poorly managed and poorly controlled, which explains the low income recorded. Nearly 80% of the estimated production escapes the control of the specialized services of the Algerian state in favour of the main Algerian traffickers, Tunisians, Spanish and French, who harvest and export it outside the official trade circuit.

Even certain fishing practices prohibited by international and national maritime legislation (the use of destructive explosives) are still carried out in places where there is little or no control.

This multi-interest activity should therefore benefit from greater control and support to be integrated into the wider process of reform, the development of fisheries, crafts and culture, tourism, and the promotion of non-hydrocarbon exports.

It is, therefore, necessary to properly supervise this activity, to register and protect the origin of this precious product at the international level (Los Angeles, Madrid, Geneva, etc.) to avoid the manipulation of the natural product against defects by powders and coloured pastes chemicals. We must allocate a budget to support craftsmen and other artists involved in the work of qualitative conditioning of this natural wealth, our national heritage.

Subscribe to the economic newsletter

Mebarek Malek Serraï, economist: "The investment code is very favourable to fishing".

In this interview, international economic expert Mebarek Malek Serraï discusses the reasons for the lack of progress in the fishing sector, based on his experience in the field. He recommends organizing study days led by specialists to better understand the real problems in the sector.

Algeria Invest

Popular Articles

Subscribe to the economic newsletter

Discover Algeria

Business Environment

Our sections