The small-scale fisheries sector in Egypt is an important source of national and community food security and employment throughout the country. As a sector and including both harvest and post-harvest fisheries it is estimated to employ between one-two million people. The fisheries sector is diverse, both in terms of geography and nature of the fishing communities. Broadly defined it can be divided into Red Sea, Mediterranean and inland freshwater fisheries, however within those emerge even more detailed and unique sub-groups within the fisheries sector as a whole.

An assessment of the socio-economic aspects of the fisheries sector, (focusing on small-scale fisheries) was undertaken in order to: understand the dynamics of the sector, reduce poverty among those employed in fisheries, increase employment in the sector, increase food security, and increase support for effective and sustainable fisheries management through incorporating the needs of those who depend on fisheries for their livelihoods.

The above needs resulted in a socio-economic assessment of the small-scale fisheries sector and resulting development of socio-economic indicators which can be used to enhance communication, transparency, effectiveness, and the accountability of fisheries management. The development objective is the enhanced governance and planning of the fisheries sector to achieve resources sustainability and economic viability.

At this workshop the results of this work will be presented, including the methodology, fieldwork and analysis and how this can be incorporated into fisheries management in Egypt and also throughout the sub-region of the Oriental Near East (SNO).

The objectives of this workshop include:

• Presentation of methodology, fieldwork, and associated constraints and challenges;
• Analysis and presentation of results;
• Description and analysis of indicators
• Management and communication opportunities presented by results;
• Applicability and adaptation options to be applied in context of other countries in the sub-Region.