Even in the principal fishing areas, including the “Tharthar” Lake and Fao, there seems to be no landing piers or storing facilities of any kind. Transportation of fresh fish from the landing areas to the markets is often done by ordinary trucks or lorries. Much of the present spoilage would be eliminated if the trucks or lorries were fitted with refrigeration or at least insulated. The quality of fish can certainly also be improved to some extent if the fish are put in fish boxes during transport. It should be emphasized that it is absolutely necessary to use standardized fishboxes for transport and subsequent handling of the fish. The fish boxes can be made of wood, but since wooden boxes have a great percentage of breakage and are more difficult to keep clean, plastic or aluminium fish boxes would be preferable.
The wholesale fish marketing facilities even in the city of Baghdad with a population of over one million are in very unsatisfactory conditions. There is neither cold storage, sufficient auction hall space nor facilities for ice-making in spite of a summer temperature often exceeding 40°C.
Fish retailing in Baghdad is mostly carried out from open stalls or on wagons in the street. In a few supermarkets fresh fish are kept and sold from refrigerated cabinets.
Although the expert had only a few weeks to survey the present fishery situation, he is nevertheless convinced that the most serious obstacle to further fishery development and better utilization of presently available fish supplies lies on the one hand in existing weaknesses and deficiencies of traditional fish marketing methods and organization and on the other hand in the almost total lack of suitable physical fish marketing and distribution facilities through all stages of the trade, from the time the fish is landed until it reaches the consumer.
What is required now is specific advice on how the present fish marketing system and practices can be improved with a view to insuring maximum benefit to producers and consumers. Such advice must take into account the strong position of middlemen and fish merchants, and the possible impact of existing economic bonds or ties between middlemen and fishermen on any attempt to reorganize the trade, for instance on a cooperative basis with the assistance of the Government, unless proper measures can be taken to enable fishermen to extricate themselves permanently from such bonds. A reorganization along cooperative lines also raises the question of technically and commercially trained personnel to organize and manage fish marketing operations, as well as the willingness and ability of fishermen to work together. A realistic appraisal of the technical and socio-economic problems involved, including the formulation of workable solutions, would require a longer period of study coupled with more extensive on the spot investigations than has been possible for the expert during his short mission.
The expert considers it absolutely essential that such a study be undertaken before any attempt to reorganize the trade is made. For this purpose the Government would need the services of a highly qualified and experienced fish marketing expert, preferably with knowledge and experience in comprehensive fish marketing. The Government might therefore wish to request the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to make available such an expert under the UNDP (technical assistance) for an initial period of not less than 12 months. This expert should also advise and assist the Government in determining the location, type and capacity of marketing and processing facilities required at the landing, wholesale and retail stage, including central cold stores, ice-plants and transport. This would require, as a basis for planning, more accurate and comprehensive statistical data than are now available both as regards the present supply and flow pattern of fish throughout the country, effective and potential demand at different price levels for different types and qualities of fish etc. The organization of a system for the acquisition of such data as a primary basis for sound planning, should be part of the experts terms of reference.
The expert wishes to point out that he considers it inadvisable to attempt a full-scale national reorganization of existing fish marketing methods and practices, including provision of necessary facilities. Instead he would recommend selection of one or two strategic locations, where the scope and need for improvements are most timous with gradual expansion to other areas as necessary experience and insight is acquired.
