Corona reduced fishing and raised fish prices

Director General of the General Authority for Fish Wealth Abdel-Latif Ali has said  to the Syrian Al-Watan daily  that the amount of fishing  during the first three months ( January, February and March)  of this year reached  130,447 kilograms.

Ali said that the work of fishermen was clearly affected during the ban period due to the Corona crisis, noting that  sea-fishing decreased and thus the amount of fish was affected.

Ali said that although the authority continues to produce and sell fingerlings, the ban also affected the technical supervision process on fish farms permanently noting that Corona affected the work in general.

Ali said that the increase of  fish prices during the Corona pandemic period, was due to the decrease in the number of fishermen who were out fishing, in addition to the high prices and production costs.

With regard to the Family Fish Farms Project and its role in achieving sustainable development in Latakia governorate, Ali said that fingerlings were provided to 133 family farms.

Regarding illegal fishing, Ali emphasized that the General Authority for Fish Wealth is controlling and organizing fishing operations in fresh water, and there are protection and control points distributed on dams and lakes to monitor fishing operations and control  violations.

He added that the General Directorate of Ports is monitoring fishing operations in marine waters according to laws that organize fishing operations.

On the other hand, Ali referred to awareness-raising campaigns for fishermen to observe the appropriate health conditions to address the Corona pandemic, pointing to coordination with the Lattakia Governorate’s Trade Union and the Lattakia City Council in order to sterilize the central fish market and sales outlets of the General Authority for Fish Wealth.

O. al-Mohammad