The LCHR has issued report no. 47 of the Economic & Social Rights series monitoring the conditions of fishermen and lakes in Egypt. It presents the size of the fish production and fishermen's problems in Egypt through two case studies about El Manzala and Edko lakes. The report consists of several sections as follows:
The First Section presents the size of the fishery wealth in Egypt. It indicates that there are 3.5 million fishermen in Egypt who fish in 13.5 million feddans of water, a continuously decreasing area because of the policies of draining lakes. People in Egypt consume about 100 tons of fish a year; domestic production provides 87% of this amount and the rest is imported from international markets. There are 90055 fishery cooperative associations in Egypt. The fishery sector needs a lot of work and efforts to be developed, and legislation must be amended to improve the economic conditions of fishermen and the means of fishing.
The Second Section covers the area and production rates of the biggest and most important 11 lakes in Egypt. The Egyptian lakes are some of the most important lakes in Africa. The area of coastal lakes is about 1570 square kilometers, and the area of the Nile, its branches and waterways about 8047 square kilometers. The fish production of these 11 lakes in 2002 was as follows, according to a report issued by the public corporation for fishery resources:
- El Manzala lake: 58400 tons
- El Borollus lake: 59785 tons
- Edko lake: 10336 tons
- Maryout lake: 5303 tons
- El Bardaweel lake: 3100 tons
- Bor Fouad lake: 190 tons
- Qaroon lake: 1925 tons
- El Rayan lake: 1231 tons
- Nasser lake: 23371 tons
- Toshki lake: 2500 tons
- El Morra Wel Temsah lake: 5669 tons.
This shows the importance of this sector in Egypt and the necessity of improvement.
The Third Section presents the problems that fishermen on these lakes face, especially the policies of draining lakes that for instance led to the decrease of El Manzala fishing area from 750 thousand feddans in 1956 to 190 thousand feddans in 1982 and only 125 thousand feddans in 1994. At the same time, pollution has increased and the environment of the lakes changed, leading to the decrease of the water salt level and thus resulting in the decrease of the number of fish in the salt water areas. Large areas of these lakes are also being rented by big businessmen who prevent fishermen from fishing in these areas.
The Fourth Section covers the view of the Egyptian press towards fishermen's problems. The report indicates that the number of publications in this matter in 2005 was 104, varying between articles, press releases, investigations and commentaries. 25 of them were published in the month of May because fishermen were at that time prevented from fishing in many Egyptian lakes. In March, there were 13 publications, 12 in April and August, 9 in June and October, 6 in January and July, 4 in February, 3 in March and November and 2 in December. The newspapers most interested in fishermen's issues in 2005 were El Masry El Youm and Nahdet Masr, who covered the issue 17 times. 11 were published by El Ahrara and El Wafd, 9 by El Ahram, 7 by El Osboo'a, 5 by El Gomhoreya, 3 by El Gamaheer and Akhbar El Youm, 2 by El Geel, El Ommal, El Haqiqa and Watani and one by El Araby, El Ahaly, Afaq Arabeya, El Seyasy El Masry, El Ghad and El Maydan.
The Fifth and Sixth Sections contain field studies of Edko and El Manzala lakes, presenting fishermen's stories about their problems. These sections gives general information about the two lakes and examines the economic and social conditions of fishermen living there, the most important problems they face and the role of the fishery resources corporation and the water police in solving these problems. It also shows some case studies in more detail.
The Seventh Section presents some recommendations that may improve the conditions of the fishing sector and protect fishermen's rights in Egypt, such as:
• Establish a database about the fishery sector that is accessible by all researchers and interested bodies in the field of fishery.
• Ban fishing in certain periods, such as the reproduction period.
• Stop the policies of draining lakes, and punish all of those who violate the law in the fishery sector.
• Remove the causes of pollution in these lakes, especially the drainage and industrial waste, and stop all fish production methods that violate the law.
• Establish a fund for fishermen through their cooperative associations that provides emergency relief in case of unforeseen events.
• When distributing fish farms, the priority must be given to young fishermen.
• Provide fishermen with health and social care, and increase their pensions.
• Allow to freely elect representatives in the boards of cooperative associations without any interference by the administrational bodies, and allow fishermen to establish independent associations and unions apart from the cooperative union that can protect their rights and interests.
The LCHR has presented such recommendations to the Minister of Agriculture and the Head of the Fishery Resources Corporation in order to improve the fishery sector, protect fishermen's rights to a safe and decent life and stop the violations that they face from the water police.
The report will be published on our website as soon as we finish the translation.