“May Allah take care of you.” “Making a living requires quick thinking.” These and other such expressions embellish the fishing boats of Alexandria, creating a colourful picture of a profession that has been handed down from generation to generation in this coastal city.
The sayings give fishermen hope for their daily voyages on the Mediterranean and nearby lakes in pursuit of their livelihood.
Fisherman Emad Salah casts his net each day in his selected area in Alexandria’s Marriot Lake and prays for an abundant catch.
One day he may bring enough home to keep his family content; another day he might return empty-handed.
But as the weather’s moods fluctuate in the Mediterranean port city, particularly in winter, so do a fisherman’s prospects, depending on what the sea has in store for him that day.
Salah and many others working in his profession have long complained that they have been left without health insurance and social protection that ensure them a dignified life.
However, the life of thousands of small-scale fishermen in this country is expected to change for the better with the launch of a presidential campaign called ‘Safe Shore’, which provides support for the fishing community as one of the neediest social strata, whose job is by nature irregular and unstable.
The campaign aims to establish comprehensive and accurate databases of the country’s fishermen, so that social and healthcare can reach them. It targets to cover 42,000 fishermen in four phases.
In May this year, the Ministry of Social Solidarity, in collaboration with the General Authority for Fish Resources Development (GAFRD), launched the first phase of ‘Safe Shore’, which is funded by the Tahya Misr (Long Live Egypt) Fund.
Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine el-Kabbaj said the first phase delivered support for 15,000 fishermen working on Lake Rayan and Lake Idku, Alexandria’s Lake Mariuot and Lake Manzala which straddles four governorates – Port Said, Damietta, Sharkiya, and Daqahliya.
Under the campaign, fishermen receive tackle and diving gear, the minister said, adding that soft loans are made available so they will have an income out of season.
It also means that fishermen and their families can be re-enrolled in the Universal Health Insurance Programme that is gradually being introduced across the nation, the minister said.
GAFRD chief Salah Meslhi said in an interview on Extra News channel that ‘Safe Shore’ is considered a lifeline for thousands of small fishermen in this country.
“The lack of social and health insurance, the high costs of fishing tackle and unstable income are among the many challenges the fishing community face,” Meslhi said.
“In addition, the boats used by many small-scale farmers threaten to sink at any moment. The initiative will replace them with brand new boats,” Meslhi added.
In recent years, the state has been working hard to boost fish production by supporting fishermen and launching several large-scale fish farms, he said.
“One of these farms is Birket Ghalioun, 134km north of Cairo in Kafr el-Sheikh governorate. It is expected to produce five million kilogrames of fish and shrimps a year,” he added.
Last week, the Ministry of Social Solidarity inaugurated the second phase of ‘Safe Shore’ campaign that covers 7,400 fishermen on Kafr el-Sheikh’s Lake Borulus, Ismailia’s Bitter Lakes and Lake Temsah. The ministry also launched three new initiatives as part of this national campaign.
The first initiative will replace 20,000 small fishing boats with newer models. The ministry will cover 50 per cent of the cost. The boats will be eligible for replacement as long as they operate exclusively on the River Nile and are no longer than six metres.
The second initiative will allow fishermen to install refrigeration systems on their boats by taking a loan through Nasser Social Bank.
The third initiative will establish fisheries in accordance with feasibility studies by the GAFRD
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