Head of Fishermen Syndicate warns of crisis

Head of Egypt’s Fishermen Syndicate Ahmed Nassar revealed that the reasons behind the current increasing prices of fish are the decision taken by Transportation Ministry not to allow the fish’s boats exceed three miles in the sea, warning that such a decision could lead to a serious crisis and to threaten Egypt’s fish wealth. He also blamed Egypt’s Ministry of Irrigation for not developing Bogas Rashid.

He added, in an interview with “Arabs Today”, that Bogas Rashid contains one third of Egypt’s fish wealth, stressing that such approach could escalate the current crisis. He added, “We demanded during the recent years to extend the fishing area to five miles, while the decision taken by the Ministry of Transportation threatens Egypt’s Fish wealth.”

Regarding the governmental decision to sell fishes in the Supply outlets, he said that the decision aims to ease the current crisis not to resolve it, adding that the amounts presented by the government will finish in two months, while the government will not take serious measures to resolve the current crisis. He added that the government’s decisions could turn over five million fishermen to unemployment.

He stressed the need for separating between the Fisheries Authority and Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture, as the head of the authority cannot take an individual decision. He added that the ministry does not give priority to the interests of the fishermen. He stressed that the authority should enjoy independence to be able to take the right decisions that could serves the interests of the fishermen.

He revealed that they conducted a number of studies to protect Egypt’s fish wealth as soon as possible, while they ignored them. He warned of the repercussions of the current crisis on the prices of meat and chicken. He expressed his support for the calls adopted by a large number of people for boycotting the fishes, saying that they have an excuse for their position.