Page 23 - FAO Aquaculture News, May 2021 - No. 63

Special Section | Aquaculture Reviews

©FAO/FameMedia (photo taken before COVID-19 pandemic)

Tilapia harvest in an integrated fish-crop-livestock farm in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

Saudi Arabia) lagged behind, accounting for only 6 percent Until now, most aquaculture production in the NENA
and 3 percent in volume, respectively. Almost all countries, region has been for domestic markets, often with little
however, have high ambitions to expand aquaculture, attention paid to maintaining effective cold chains in post-
particularly in the marine environment, often for improved harvest handling and market systems. Several countries lack
food self-sufficiency and/or reduced dependence on the capacity to participate effectively in global aquaculture
imports. The capacity to grow marine finfish other than trade, as they have not implemented essential testing
those typically produced in the Mediterranean, such as frameworks or lack effective marketing organizations. There
grouper, amberjack and yellowtail, is increasing in the is very little processing or packaging and the COVID-19
Gulf States, but their quantities remain limited while pandemic has demonstrated the importance of local and
the Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is successfully being flexible marketing systems, including online retailing.
produced in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, Saudi Arabia exports high-quality shrimp to
Small amounts of bivalve shellfish are farmed in Algeria, global markets, and several other countries are investing
Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, while in the infrastructure and processes for exports. Egyptian
even smaller quantities of aquatic plants are grown in aquaculture demonstrates that the sector can improve
Morocco and Tunisia. food self-sufficiency and food security as well as provide
employment and incomes in rural areas where there are
There is good potential for further growth of aquaculture few alternatives.
production in the region through sustainable intensification
of inland, freshwater and brackish-water aquaculture, as During the closing remarks of the NENA aquaculture
well as expansion of marine aquaculture systems backed review webinar, Dr Malcolm Dickson, author of the review
by strong policy, financial support and technological document, noted the importance for the sector to be
innovations. Egyptian aquaculture production has grown better represented to ensure a stronger and more effective
on the commitment by the government to allocate space dialogue between the public and private sector. Aquaculture
and resources for development of the sector. Similar development policies and institutional support mechanisms
commitments are being made by other NENA countries, need to build on success and learn lessons from successful
such as Bahrain, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia developments in the region and beyond. The one-stop-shop
and the United Arab Emirates, including establishing approach applied in Morocco and Oman and the allocation
dedicated aquaculture development zones. Relevant and of aquaculture zones in some countries in the region will
important environmental legislations have been enacted by certainly facilitate future investment in the sector.
most countries, although aquaculture management systems
need to be improved along with ensuring efficiencies in the REFERENCES
use of feeds and resources use, particularly freshwater.
A video recording of the webinar can be found here:
www.aquaculture2020.org/reviews

22 FAO AQUACULTURE NEWS – Nº. 63 ■ MAY 2021