For the first time ever, a scientific survey on fisheries resources will be carried out to discover what lies at the bottom of the sea in Lebanon.  

Beirut | Today, fishers and passersby may have noticed a different type of boat docked at the port of Beirut. After arriving in Lebanon following three days voyage from Antalya, Turkey, the crew of a research vessel, under the United Nations flag, is now preparing to embark on the first experimental trawl survey in Lebanese waters. 

The Ministry of Agriculture of Lebanon and the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) are collaborating with the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to carry out this survey with the aim to support the monitoring of fisheries resources along the Lebanese coast.  

“Fisheries provide a decent life to tens of thousands of citizens. We need to develop this sector into becoming the cornerstone of a better future,” said the Lebanese Minister for Agriculture, H.E. Abbas Hajj Hassan, during his visit of the research vessel. “This statement clearly reflects our commitment to develop this sector because of its positive impact on the balance of food security in our country.”

Lebanese Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Abbas Hajj Hassan, visits the research vessel 

Every year, 3 280 tonnes of fish are caught in Lebanese waters, generating a revenue totalling about USD 14 million (approximately LBP 21 billion). This is why understanding the status of fisheries resources in this area is crucial to ensure the sustainability of the sector. 

It has taken two years of complex work to organize this survey, which was unfortunately disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. Since its beginning, the survey has involved multiple actors, including the relevant technical directorates of the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, port authorities, CNRS, FAO Lebanon and the GFCM. The survey has also benefitted from the collaborative efforts of the Mediterranean Fisheries Research Production and Training Institute (MEDFRI) in Turkey, which has provided the research vessel that will be used to conduct this survey.   

"This experimental survey will explore the marine resources and environment in Lebanese waters and supports the GFCM’s regional efforts towards sustainable fisheries. The survey results will contribute to the development of sustainable policies in the Mediterranean,” says Mr. Abdellah Srour, GFCM Executive Secretary. 

“This is quite exciting because it will be the first time that a trawl vessel will explore the marine resources and sea bottom along the Lebanese coasts", added Paolo Carpentieri, GFCM Fishery Resources Monitoring Specialist, who has extensive experience in carrying out scientific surveys across the Mediterranean. "We don’t know what to expect, we could find anything, from fish to crustaceans to different species of sharks and — why not! — new species in the Mediterranean Sea”. Mr Carpentieri will oversee the planning and execution of the survey. 

The eleven-day campaign will run from 1 October to 11 October 2021 and will be carried out according to a pre-arranged and agreed prospecting plan. The sampling activity (comprising around 45 fishing operations) will be take place across the entire Lebanese coast at depths varying from 10 m to 700 m.  

Following the survey, the GFCM will support Lebanon in collecting fisheries data in view of establishing, on a routine basis, a proper monitoring system for fisheries resources in the country, in line with standard methodologies established at the regional level by the GFCM. These data will complement other information collected at the national level and contribute to providing national authorities with useful information to develop sound fisheries management strategies.