Egypt’s Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine el-Qabbag was in Luxor to hand over a number of fishing vessels for small fishermen in the governorates of Luxor, Qena, Aswan and New Valley.
The step came within the second phase of the presidential initiative ‘Bar Aman’ (Safe Shore) in partnership with the Sonaa Al-Khair Foundation for Development, a member of the National Alliance for Civil Development Work to protect fishermen and provide them with the necessary equipment.
The minister inspected the fishing boats at Luxor marina and watched a parade of fishing boats on the Nile.
Luxor has witnessed the completion of the second phase of the Bar Aman presidential initiative, which was launched in 2022 with the renewal of about 700 fishing boats for small-scale fishermen working in the Nile River and inland lakes.
As of 2022, the ministry has partnered with civil society organisations and the private sector.
The minister stated that it is important to develop a unified vision for the contribution of civil society to the issues of environmental sustainability and the marketing of the green economy as one of the pathways out of poverty.
Egypt’s fish production reached about 2 million tonnes in 2023, with a self-sufficiency rate of about 85 per cent, according to a recent report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
The report said Egypt ranks first in Africa and sixth globally in fish farming, and also ranks third in tilapia production. The self-sufficiency rate and surplus for export are expected to increase with the entry of all national projects into full production capacity.
The government has also agreed to bear the cost of tracking devices for fishing boats, which may reach up to LE30,000 per boat.
The government has also approved the launch of 21 marine areas, 9 on the Red Sea and 12 on the Mediterranean Sea.
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