Small-scale fisheries in Yemen: social assessment and development prospects

The objective of this social assessment is to understand the livelihood strategies, economic conditions and fishing practices of artisanal fishermen in Yemen. By placing small-scale fisheries within the larger institutional and socioeconomic context, the report identifies external as well as internal constraints and potential. One of the goals is to build a community driven development approach in project design.The authors take a "household economy" view to the comparative analysis of two fishing areas, one community on the Red Sea coastline and another on the Gulf of Aden. The report finds that:it is widely recognised that small-scale fisheries can provide a growing contribution to the national economy, while improving food security, reducing poverty, and generating wealththe Ministry of Fish Wealth stresses the economic role of small-scale fishers. In the future, industrial fishing will only be allowed on stocks and in areas that are not being adequately exploited by the small-scale and intermediate size fishing boatsthe World Bank’s "Fisheries Sector Strategy Note" for Yemen highlights the importance of a gradual transfer of the responsibility for coastal fish resources to local communities, and of adequate measures to prepare and assist those communities to responsibly execute such a roleby benefiting from appropriate reforms and regulatory frameworks, different stakeholders can work together to create an enabling economic environment. They can manage existing fisheries resources in a concerted and sustainable manner, and put in place an appropriate institutional architecture, in order to reduce poverty and increase economic growth and employment.This research takes place within the context of the preparation of the Fisheries Management and Conservation Project, FMCP. The report draws a number of operational recommendations for this project, mainly concerning:the roles and functions of major stakeholdersnew forms of fishery management (co-management)the importance of capacity building of stakeholdersthe meaning of a comprehensive, efficient, participatory and result-based planning exercisethe importance of defining strong project partnerships and strategic alliances.