Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Fisheries Visits the General Authority for Fisheries in Socotra
SMA NEWS – SOCOTRA
The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Fisheries, Major General Salem Abdullah Al-Socotri, visited the branch of the General Authority for Fisheries in Socotra, where he met with the Director General of the Authority, Captain Ahmed Ali, the Chairman of the Fisheries Cooperative Union, Omar Hamoudi, and a number of heads of fishing associations and Authority employees.
During the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Fisheries explained that the Ministry is actively working with supporting agencies and donor organizations to provide funding sources for fisheries projects, especially after external funding has significantly decreased. He urged fisheries employees to adhere to job discipline to achieve greater productivity, noting that the Ministry will qualify and train administrative staff to enhance performance.
Al-Socotri also stressed the need to stand against negative phenomena and illegal fishing, and to adhere to the regulations, rules, and decisions that determine fishing seasons in order to preserve the country’s fish stocks.
For their part, the Director General of Fisheries and the Chairman of the Fisheries Cooperative Union welcomed the Minister’s visit to the Authority’s office, expressing their gratitude for the Minister’s continued interest in the fisheries sector and their awareness of the suffering and concerns of fishermen in the governorate, especially after the damages they suffered as a result of hurricanes, difficult economic conditions, and rising fuel prices and fishing equipment costs.
The meeting included discussions on the FAO-funded fish stock assessment project and the search for funding to establish an early warning room, an important step towards protecting fishermen, their equipment, and the infrastructure of the fisheries sector, and preserving fisheries and fishing stocks in accordance with fishing regulations.
The meeting also featured contributions from heads of fishing associations, addressing complaints and proposals related to the challenges facing the sector and ways to improve it. This reflects the spirit of cooperation and solidarity among all stakeholders to achieve sustainable development in the governorate’s fishing sector.
